The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1920-11-12

but at present his main interest CEN
tered on the fun he expected to ex-
tract from the preliminarles.
He had already decided on a gem
eral course OF action; he would ap-
| proach those whom he considered
worthy, in strictly diplomatic way,
/ judiciously 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 nm 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 rner-
cenary stranger.
During the next half hour Shelby
managed to Interview at least a half
dozen whom he considered eligible
bachelors or lonely widowers, artfully
selecting those known to be of some
what sporiive disposition, TO whom
such proposition as he had to offer
might naturally appeal. few of
these treated the suggestion profanely;
others were rather evasive, but the
majority thus automatically approach
ed eyinced sufficient interest to yield
much encouragement. His wares had
been brought to good market and Old
Dads girl, rendered particularly at
tractive by "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. 1t
would sure be 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 a
bartender, who only shook his head
impassively. Shelby moved along I'M
I'll he ranged up beside the fellow.
Whats your name?"'
"Joe Macklin."
lhey call you Kid don't they,
round here?"
"Sure mostly. What are yer drivln'
at, Anyhow
"Why, this. l got n ranch over on
the Cottonwood, an come in here to
pick up cow-hand. | got half
breed, but l need another. That's
where | stand"
"Whatnl 1t pay?"
"Forty dollars, You got horse?"
"Well, the critter looks like one
turned out In Powell's corral, but /
amt got no money to pay fer his
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
up here sober Mt ten tomorrow. or else
I'll leave you here; that's straight"
He strobe away across the big
crowded room and opened a 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 cigar.
We'll" 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. I talked to
quite q bunch. The one thing I'm
afraid of Is that some galoot may take
a notion to hunt the girl up before
we can get things into shape. That's
why | hurried In here We got to
pun the affair tonight"
The preacher spread his hands, wav-
ing the suggestion aside.
mo, no; that really wouldn't he
decent, so soon after the funeral. The
poor girl must be given opportunity
to mourn IN peace"
"Shucks 1t will give her something |
else to think about Anyhow that |
whole bunch win be after her by |
morning. What do you say, Mac9"
IL don't see no objections. The |
sooner It's cleaned up the better and |
there won't be no hard feelln's among |
the boys II we don't give 'em any time
to Mill around"
You aim 10 run the bunch in on |
her with no notiee?"
'No; that's up to the preacher. He |
invented this game and has got to take
care Of that end of II. don't know
nothln' 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 II eat with
her straight. He can put 1t sorter
rellglous,like 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, II she's ever