Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1920-11-18

tered on the fun he expected 10 eA-
tract from the preliminaries.
He had already decided on a gen.
eral course of action; he would APP
proach those whom he considered
worthy, in a strictly diplomatic way,
iudiciously limiting at the possibility
of Old Dad Calkins' girl being an heir
ess and suggesting the advantage OF
her being sought in early marriage. 1t
was merely an idea he proposed to
advance. to be implanted in their minds,
that she should not be allowed to es-
cape from the community with all that
money, nor snapped up by some mer-
cenary stranger.
During the next half hour Shelby
managed to interview at least hair
dozen whom he considered eligible
bachelors or lonely widOwers, arttully
selecting those known to be of some
what sportive disposition, to whom
such q proposition as he had to oner
might naturally appeal. A few OF
these treated the suggestion protahely;
others were rather evasive, Dut the
majority thus automatically approach
ed evinced sufficient interest TO yleiu
much encouragement. His wares hau
been brought to good market and Ola
Dads girl, rendered particularly at
tractive by a "dot" running up into
the thousands, would find plenty OF
eager suitors. Now that the rumor
of her eligibility was being privately
circulated from mouth to mouth, any
unnecessary delay would only render
the affair more complicated.
He would report at once the sue
cess of his mission and urge his CO.
cOnspirators to immediate action. IL
would sure be a fine sight to see these
fellows lined up while that girl looked
them over, deliberately making
choice. Suddenly his gaze rested on
a Young man, dejectedly hanging over
the end of the bar, arguing with
bartender, who only shook his head
impassively. Shelby moved along I'M
til he ranged up beside the fellow
"What's your nameT
"Joe Macklin."
"They call you Kid don't they
round here?"
"Sure; mostly. What are yer drivin'
at, anyhow
"Why, this. I got ranch over on
the Cottonwood, an come in here TO
pick up a cow-hand. 1 got a half-
breed, but l need another. That's
where / stand"
| "What'u it DayW
"Forty dollars. You got horse"
"Well the critter looks like one;
turned out in Powelps corral, but
amt got no money to pay fer MS
feed. Yer'll have ter blow me some
coin"
"All right; here's ten and I'll pay
Powell for the horse keep. You SHOW
I'D here sober at ten tomorrow, or else
I'll leave you here; that's straight.
He strobe away across the big
crowded room and opened door at
the further end. Stepping across the
| threshold he closed the door behind
him and faced Mccarthy and the ex-
preacher from Buffalo Gap, both OF
whom glanced up expectantly. Shelby
leaned back against the wall and con-
templated the two, chewing on the
| butt of a cigar.
"Well," he said bluntly, the cards
are stacked, gents; now, all you got
to do is to play your hands.
"What do you mean? The boys are
for it?'
Hungry and swapping. 1 talked 10
ouite bunch. The one thing I'm
afraid of is that some galoot may take
q notion to hunt the girl up before
we. can get things into shape Ihats
why I hurried in here. We got TO
pull the affair tonight"
The preacher spread his hands, wav-
ing the suggestion aside.
"No. no: that really wouldn't be
decent, so soon after the funeral. Inc
poor girl must be given opportunity
to mourn in peace"
"Shucks! 1t will give her something
else TO think about. Anyhow, that
whole bunch will be after her by
morning. What do you say, MacT
81 don't see no objections. The
| sooner 1t s Cledlleu UP lhV pS''SA 'N
there won't be no hard feelins among
the boys If we don't give 'em any time
to mill around
"You aim to run the bunch In on
her with no notice|
mo; that's up TO the preacher. lie
invented this game and has got to take
care of that end Of it. / don't know
nothin' bout females and don't aim
to learn. Wen leave the girl TO this
gent from Buffalo Gap. Let him
mosey right over and talk 1t out with
her straight. He can put 1t sorter
religious-lke. Say we give him an
hour an then shoot the bunch over to
the shack; that ought to be long
enough for him to get the girl into
the right frame of mind, If she's ever
goin' to be. Maybe she'll take 1t all
right and maybe she won't. You
ready to try your luck, Dominiep'
"There is no question in my mind"
he answered solemnly, "but that this
is the proper method Of procedure.
| 7 an, therefore resigned 70 do my Dnrt