Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1920-12-02

| got the devils rounded up again.
| been thinkin' ever since I ought to
tell you about it, so. If you thought
best we could turn around an take
you back to PonLa."
"And then what would you do?"
ME? Why go on O. course an
take care O. the cattle. Tain't the
first time I've seen Indians"
"Then / am going with you," she
said firmly. II am not the least
afraid. l wonder If you have an extra
rifle out there?"
"Sure," he said, grinnlng. II sorter
like that kind O. talk, little girl. Can
you shoot?"
"Some; I'll show you when we get
out there. Anyway, please don't turn
back on my account heard In Ponca
that the Sioux were ghost-dancing, but
I didn't think about their coming down
the Cottonwood. Dad said they were
getting ugly, but / don't know where
he heard it."
This unexpected mention of Calkins
stirred Shelby to ask further ques-
ton. She was going on with him, that
was evident, and the mystery between
them must be cleared away.
"What was your name?" he asked
soberly.
She glanced up into his face, sur
prised at the abrupt question.
"My name! Why, don't you know?"
Il never heard of it; seems sorter
odd, maybe, but / never did"
SIT is Olga"
"Olga-Olga what?"
"Why, Shelby, suppose"
mo, didn't mean that. OF course,
it's Shelby now, but what was it be-
fore today2 'Twasn't Calkins.'
The smile had deserted her lips and
her eyes were very serious.
"Just what do you mean, please?
Have you heard something"
"Well, yes. This here soldier Shau-
messy has been in the army long
while; he was fifteen years in the
Sixth cavalry Now I happened to
learn, accidentally from Mccarthy,
that Old Calkins was once sergeant
in that outfit, so naturally / asked
Shaunessy If he ever knew him."
"And did he?"
"Sure; they were bunkies once an
he said JEFF Calkins never was mar
ried an didn't have no daughter"
"WeIl, did ever say was his
daughter?"
mo, o. course you didn't. l never
asked, but everybody thought you
must be. What was the old man to
you, anyhow? / reckon l got right
to know"
"You certainly have. but l cannot
tell you very much. Frankly, / don't
know. / could not explain even how
/ came into his care. That sounds
strange, perhaps, but 1t is true. !
wasn't much of a girl when he got
me first and I've scarcely been out of
his sight since. I'VE asked him a
thousand times, but he never would
explain. Once he said II would come
out all right after awhile. 1t seemed
to anger him for me to ask ques-
lions, so, at last. stopped"
"That's mighty queer. Did he ever
tell you what your real name VAST"
"oh. yes; there wasn't any secret
about that-it was Carlyn."
"olga Carlyn," he repeated the
words slowly. "Sorter Norwegian.
Irish, amt it7 That story sounds ra.
ther funny to me-"
"My idea is he was hiding me from
someone; trying to keep me from be-
Ing found. ! decided that was why
he moved about from place to place
and always lived in such poverty and
alone. believe he had money or
could always get some when needed.
Then he seemed to be afraid oil the
time and watching for something to
happen"
"And you don't have no recollection
whatever of either your father or
motherT"
"Not Of my mother; she may have
died when l was a baby, but ! can
remember my father, although never