Gunnison news-champion., 1920-12-31
CHAPTER |.
Rsturr Of n, Wanesr,r.

drive to fHss =I..rI.f ~ the ridge, halt
INK the hrur.s u- his eyes -Xeyt over
thv sDt.rs ,.f. r-.-ft below. The ami
uaIs 'l,ir dusty sides -'rraEed with
sweat srrprr.t willingly after thelr
sIN'y mile trip from TIE C0'tDnw Ooi
Below u1a I'-.p. nhrruw valley.
iu 10" ra!Is' ~ which runcu spread
our along DO" la1E of the creek that
gave the inau .'- name To shelby.
vsarul a.rl rlr dull plains. here was
Il scene % beauty.
Jur Nrg.ll there was uf.. fresh.
luIuraD'. -a'-': running water lu-rI-
pus grr"u s-n --. and above all, that
which h" ru.,rf most. human cnm-
panIunsh.r Tu D." SURE. he ka"w
P0uru ~ ulG rnd pu-s,-s-.-! uo IIu-
EIuus. TE0y. dirty. uuk"upf. Pea "a
made DO prr.nr-.. 90 either c',nn'.-
u",s. ar n-Ie- ability; It possessed
uu prHr rr o r.. ", fl'ur" II
s-,fuei 'u -rr.-..E" lrs destiny anl
hv ,nur"u'. DO ... -r ma-.ru,rn r"Wn u
the fruarr- .a mI'rnr' uf the cattle
truIr. pormr.l Poo flourish today. but
~ rrrtuIu.y 1-.a.I TO perish tumor-
row.
The man shr sar there on the ridge
gazing duau rha r,au- held idly In
his huud. his rgss following the wind
ing of 'hr valley. vas q perfectly nat
urnl pnTt ~ the p!c'Urc-he belonged.
A.nrurh the tan and dust wns
smuIthly shuyca face. face OF
twenty. nyv. or twenty six, the features
strong. nose somewhat prominent, lips
firm aud full with dark gray eyes
shndowed by heavy lHshcs. In truth.
he appeared all man. a certain reck-
less gayety about him not to be mis-
taken, yet a. evidently not to be Light
ly taken ndyuntag" OF.
at certainly beats HI" he NUT
tered, uncoHsclousIy aloud, that a
man should dream about visiting a
dump Ike this. shows what sort o
place Cottonwood is to make a fellow
hOmcsicE for PouCa. Town looks
kinder dead: no cattle in the corrnls.
HI. what's III" difference? Thercll
be some Of tho old bunch haugin'
round. an wen make things hum for
awhile. Come. hrunCs, jog along Let's
show PonCu we're live outfit"
It was Il rough. Curying descent. the
trail In places barely wide enough for
the wheels. hut the driver never lost
control. guiding the broncos with ex-
pert hand. until they finally swung
about the edge of great rock at the
bottom. and went charging at full
gaIlop into the main street To better
express the cNubernnce OF his feelings
at this return to civilization, and an
uouucc his arrival. Shelby whipped out
his gun and began shatterlng the at
mOsphcrc, driving the animals frantic
us the sharp reports rang out over
their backs.
But II any sensation was expected,
Il signaTy failed to materIalize PonCa
remained deserted. and unimpressed.
Long experience had either rendered
the inhabitants Indifferent to such a
display. or else the town had gone
utterly dead. The silence and desola-
ton caused shelby to utter an oath.
and suddenly swing his team up TO a
hltching rack in front OF McCarthy's
saloon. the door OF which stood in
vitingly open. An instant the per.
picked driver sat there. staring grim
ly about from end to end Of the de-
serted street.
'What the h-ll" he circulated at
last. sis up anyhow Is this grave
yard I've got into7 Lord. II can't be
all the boys have got out; but some
thing Is sure dead wrong. Well, Macs
open anyhow. I'll go In and find out"
He sprang out over the wheel. stiff
fened from the long ride. yet standing
erect nevertheless, and strode up the
saloon steps and In through the open
door. He had expected welcome
and this strange lack of interest on
the part OF the citizens Of Ponca had
already considerably chilled his en-.
thusiasm. Once inside. he stopped
staring about In even deeper perplex.
ity. The big saloon was absolutely
empty ,f patrons-the tables were IN.
occupied: no one was lined up In front
Of the long bar, and no sound Of voices
or Of poker chips came down from the
room above. The place seemed like
a huge grave. and. for brief mo
ment, he even failed to perceive it1
only occupant-a red-mustached bar
tender In front of the mirror. indus
triously rubbing the immaculate glass
Thoroughly angered by this time. Shell.
BY advanced, his footsteps mufiled by
the sawdust on the floor.
"what the hi is the matter with
this dump7" he demanded savagely, his
fist humping the bar. "Oh. 80 It's
you, Is 1t. Moran? Well, are you Ill
that's left In Poucar'
The red-mustached one turned In
differently. yet managed to extend Z
rather limp hand In fraternal greeting
That's bout the size Of II, Tom.'
he admitted gravely. where yer beer
the last six monthsr
-Over on the Cottoaweed. ranchiAg