The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1920-11-13
CHAPTER ..
Return Of ths Wanderer.

-
Return Of the Wanderer.
Shelby, alone In the blackboard.
drove to the summit Of the ridge, halt
ing the broncs, as his eyes swept over
the scene outspread below. The ami
mails, their dusty sides streaked with
sweat. stopped willingly after their
sixty-mile trip from the Cottonwood.
Below was a deep, narrow valley,
In the midst Of which Ponca spread
cut along the bank of the creek that
gave the town its name. To Shelby.
wearied with the dull plains, here was
q scene Of beauty.
Just beyond there was life. fresh,
luxuriant, sweet; running water, lusci-
Gus green grass. and above all, that
which he craved most. human COM
panionshlp. To be sure. he knew
Ponca Of old, and possessed no illu-
siona. Ugly. dirty, unkempt, Ponca
made no pretense to either cIeanli-
ness. or responsibility; it possessed
no pride no hope Of a future. 1t
seemed to recognize it's destiny, and
be content. mere mushroom town Of
the frontier, an adjunct of the cattle
trade. permitted to flourish today, but
90 certainly doomed to perish tomOr-
row.
The man who sat there on the ridge
gazing down. the reins held idly In
his hand, his eyes following the wind
ing Of the valley. was a perfectly nat
uraf part Of the picture-he belonged.
Beneath the tan and dust was a
smoothly shaven face, a face Of
twenty-five, or twenty-six, the features
utreng. nose somewhat prominent, lips
flrm and full. with dark-gray eyes
Swallowed by heavy lashes. In truth,
ne appeared all man, a certain reck-
less gayety about him not to be mis-
snken. yet as evidently not to be light
" taken advantage Of.
at certainly beats HI" he NUT
tered. unconsciously aloud. ''that
man should dream about visiting a
dump like this. Shows what sort o.
place Cottonwood Is to make a fellow
homesick for Ponca. Town looks
kinder dead: no cattle in the corrals.
HI. what's the dIfferencei ThereH
be some Of the old bunch hangln'
round, an wen make things hum for
awhile. Come. broncs, jog aIongi Let's
show Ponca we're a live OUTFIT"
II was rough. curvlng descent, the
trAll In places barely wide enough for
ehe wheels. but the driver never lost
control. guiding the broncos with ex-
pert hand. until they finally swung
about the edge Of q great rock at the
bottom. and went charging al full
gaIiop Into the main street. To better
express the exuberance Of his feelings
80 this return TO civilization, and an
noance his arrival. Shelby whipped out
his gun and began shattering the at
saosphcre. driving the animals frantic
as the sharp reports rang out over
their backs.
But X any sensation was expected.
q slgnaIly failed to materialize. Ponca
Reznalned deserted, and unimpressed.
k,eng experience had either rendered
ti,e Inhabitants Indifferent to such a
display, or else the town had gone
utfDriy dead. The Silence and desola-
zion caused Shelby to utter an oath,
ard suddenly swing his team up to a
hitching rack In front Of McCnrthy,s
saloon. the door OF which stood in
willingly open An instant the per
picked driver sat there. staring grim
" about from end TO end OF the de-
serted street.
what the h-lT he calculated NJ
last. ais up anyhow Is this u grave
yard I've got intof Lord. 1t can't he
All the boys have got out; but some
thing IL sure dead wrong. Well. Macs
open anyhow. TIL 60 In and find OUT
He sprang out over the wheel. stiff.
tened from the long ride. vet standing
erect nevertheless, and strobe up the
snlO0n steps and In through the open
door. He had expected O welcome
and this strange lack of interest on
the part OF the citizens Of Ponca had
already considerably chilled his en-
fhUslnsm. Once inside. he stopped.
stirring about In even deeper perplex-
~. The big saloon was absolutely
empty 81 patrons-the tables were I'M
occupied; no one was lined up IN frent |
n the long har. and no sound OF voices |
Dr. 81 poker chips came down from the |
noom above. The plnce seemed like |
! huge grave. and. for hrief mo- |
rsenf. he even failed to percriye It's !
- oee9pant-a red-mnstached bar