The Red Cloud chief. [volume] (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923, 1920-12-23

to 60 in and get something to eat"
He started to turn away, but Shelby
halted him with a question.
"How long you been In the army.
Peter
twenty-five years"
"And with the Sixth cavalry1"
"Fifteen."
did you ever know q sergeant
named Calkins2'
"JefY Calkins; he was my first top
after Joined; he left the service
bout ten years ago. There was a
shootin' scrape or somethin' down at
Harker. Sorter ugly story, though I've
forgotten just what It was all about
now. Calkins got out o. that all right
but when his enlistment was up he
quit; he didn't get on good with the
men. DO you know whatever become
Of the OIL duffer7"
HE was buried here yesterday
killed himself; left a daughter bout
nineteen"
"The HI he did! JEFF Calklns new.
er was married; not before he left the
army, anyhow. know because I
bunked with him nearly two years an
he told me q lot about himself. He
wasn't no lady's man at all. Say.
what the devil is goin' on heref"
"There's been a wedding" Shelby
started to explain, but the outfiowing
thrOng cut his sentence in two, and
the startled soldier, stepping back to
get out Of the way, was instantly
swept aside, while the gang poured
forth between, separating the two
completely. The bridegroom found
himself once more the center Of fer
vent congratulations and only escaped
by pushing a passage down the steps
to where his outfit waited for depar-
ture. Some moments later she Joined
him, accompanied by her bodyguard,
wearing a long buster which almost
reached the ground and clOse.fitting
cap pulled down over her smooth hair.
He silently helped her into the seat
Of the blackboard, Joining her grimly
and gathering up the reins In his fin
gers.
Nov. then" he called, "a couple
Of you unite those brutes and jump.
They're bad starters"
The broncos amply justified his pre-
dictiOn and the party went tearing
down the main street, pursued by yells
Of enjoyment and cat-howls Of deri-
sion, Shelby struggling with the reins
in an endeavor to keep the maddened
brutes of the sidewalks.
However, the steep ascent Of the
blum brought the plunging animals to
their senses and by the time they
had surmounted the ridge and struck
the prairie trail leading across the
upland they were willing enough to
slow down to the swift trot they were
accustomed to take on long Journeys.
Shelby loosened his grasp on the leath-
er and rested back In the seat, ven-
turing a side glance at his companion.
She was still gripping the iron rail
for safety. but evidently felt no fear.
"Mean devil, that bronco" said Shell.
by, feeling the necessity Of speech
and fecking his whip lash at the buck.
skin, whose evil eye was peering mali
ciously backward. ''worst horse ever
owned. The Kid back there seems
to be some bronco buster and Til let
him try his luck when we get out to
the ranch. got some outlaws there. "
She turned her head and glanced
behind through the cloud Of dust.
"Who Is he? One Of your men?"
"Wen, I just hired him down a,
Ponca. Seems to be mighty good
rider. His name is Macklin. but ev
erybody calls him Kid"
"Somehow I don't Just like him"
"Oh, he's harmless enough"
"Perhaps so, but have that feeling
about him Just the same"
Shelby made no answer and the!
rode on in silence through the circlin.
dust. He felt awkward and embar
raised. unable to think Of anything
to say to keep up conversation and In
tensely conscious Of the peculiar situa
ton in which they found themselves
Occasionally he stole surreptitiOu
glance aside Mt her, but her eyes wer
averted as though in avoidance, gaz
| iIlk Out ONcT TIC uuii NiStu. ~ NHtlU
this Quietness on her part, this hal
turning from him seemed particular
ominous. She was doubtless sorry al
ready at her choice; this drear expans
which they rode was more than sh
expected to encounter-she was dread
Ing already an approach to the Co,
tonwood. He had been fool to eve
dream that he could ever satisfy he
} In such surroundings. Well, It wa
not too late to turn back. He wOul
! talk with her and learn the truth.
! He drove steadily forward Ell
r deavOring to formulate some pleasar
. opening sentence. his mind ineyitabl
drifting back to that late cOnyers'
ton with Shaunessy and the doubts
, had awakened. Ought he to perm
her to become exposed to possib
!, Indian attack Was II not plain
3 his duty to explain fully the exa,
3 situation7 And then that other ma
| ter relative to Old Calkins7 Surely