Gunnison news-champion., 1920-12-31
CHAPTER %.
Outlining . Plot

brand o, cooking. and. with many
apologies therefor. had. on this partic-
ular occa sion. the eI-reyerend from
Buffalo Gap as his honored guest
Shelby saw the two when he first en-
tered. over IN the farther corner and.
as there chanced to be n vacant seat
beside Mccarthy. be made h.s slightly
uncertain way In that direction and
sueceedet IN safely establishing him
self on the empty bench. The room
Was well hlled with men. most OF them
s;iil discussing the important event Of
the afternoon. and he soon became
aware that the conversation OF the two
next TO him bore upon the same sub
ject.
Shelby stared at the smoking. greasy
mess outspread before him. pryinE
open soggy biscuit. and asked q
question Of Mccarthy.
How'd the collection come out,
MacT"
-whs, coIIectlonf on. for the gurI:
bout Gve hundred. want 1t. reye-
rendT
Pour nlneiy-ssven.- said the
preacher In his deep voice quite
an assistance for the young woman
in this time OF bereavement, as ! am
Informed her father left little or no
property"
"rropertyi Old Calkinsl Well.
should say not. And what's more"
the saloon keeper becoming interested,
Il don't see how that moneys goin'
ter do her much good was just
talkln' ter the dominic yere about her
Tom. what is she agoln' ter dor An
what he'd this town ought ter do fer
herr"
'What do you meant They done
enough, aln't they. with that swell
funeral an FIVE hundred bucks on top
OF III What more would she erpect,"
''Shc don; expect nuthin' That
amt her style. got an idee she
won't even accept this bunch o. coin.
She's the ornariest heifer ever saw.
But that's got no bearin' on u.s. She's
an orphan. left yere In Pouca with
no visible means OF support. She's
a decent girl: nobody ever said nuth-
In against her. and the way II looks
ter me we got a moral duty ter per-
form. Amt that II. ReverendT'
THAT is the thought ! endeavored
TO convey returned the visitor from
Buffalo Gap seriously. You heard
me. presume, young manf"
only the last few sentences ad-
mltted Shelby. Il don't belong here,
but just happened to drift In today"
Toms ranchln' over on the Cotton
wood" interrupted Mccarthy. but
he's mighty straight guy. an I'd
like ter have him express his feeiin's
on this yere idee o yours, Reverend.
It's rather n new one on me-"
The preacher Strengthened up and
cleared his throat.
We'll. here's the case of young
girl. seventeen or eighteen years old.
who has had no experience whatever
in life. suddenly left an orphan In this
town. without any money or friends.
so TO speak. Where can she gol What
can she do7 There isn't a place she
could earn living here. excepting
the dance hail: there isn't a place In
this town she could call home. That
is what ! tried TO make clear to Mr..
McCarthy-that the men Of this town
ought 10 give her a chance Mac here's
a married man; got wife and two
daughters Of his own back East and
he cottoned to my iden right away
But what is your idear'
Marriage. sir-marriage honorable
matrimouy. ! even offer my services
freely. The giri should be given Q
husband and . home: this would A.
sure bee future and relieve Ponca Of
every obligation. Do you So she
point
Yea admitted Shelby. yet rather
dazed at the project. hut there would
seem 70 be certain obstacles In the
way of s1ch scheme. No doubt 700
have censidered these. Who. for In
stance. would marry herr 9
There isn't likely to be any trouble
about that confidently. IF she'd aI
up she'd b . right good-iooking girl.
besides. she's got i've hundred dollars
to start With and that's more money
than Spf Of these ea1abos ever ssw
in all their livea. ri bet there's afvy
men IN Pooca that would jump at DE
chancA ~
"Rounders and tin-hosns."
Some Of them-sure. But there
would b some decent fellows among
them. That's about how ne figured II.
McCar1hyY
The aIoonkeeper nodded.
There's quite few Of the right
kind round Ponca. Tom. who'd Be
mighty glad TO get decent woman
and settle down. I could name . half
dozen rlghi now. What amt % sure
bout b the guri.-
.She might objectf OF courss shs'
will. and Why sAouldn't sh4 Toe
want 70 know what ! think of ths
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