Cavalier County farmers press. (Langdon, N.D.) 1920-1921, 1920-12-09
PAGE SEVEN
money, o snapped up by some mer-

During the mex half hour Shelby
managed to interview at least q half
dozen whom he considered eligible
bachelors or lonely widowers, artfully
selecting those known to be of a some
what sportive disposition, to whom
such q proposition as he had to offer
might naturally appeal. a few of
these treated the suggestion profane1y:
others were rather evaSive, but the
majority thus automatically approach
ed evinced sufficient interest to yield
much encouragement. His wares had
been brought to a good market and Old
Dads girl, rendered particularly at
t%ractive by Il 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 Il fine sight to see these
fellows lined up while that girl looked
them over, deliberately making a
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
lmpassively. Shelby moved along I'M
til he ranged up beside the fellow.
"What's your name?"
"Joe Macklin."
"They call you Kid don't they,
round here?"
"sure; mostly. What are yer drivin'
at, anyhow"
"Why, this. l got q ranch over on
the Cottonwood, an come in here to
pick up a cow-hand. I got a half
breed, but l need another. That's
where I stand"
"Whatll it payY
"Forty dollars. You got a horse?"
"Well, the critter looks like one;
turned out in Powell's corral, but I
amt got no money to pay fer his
feed. Yer'H have ter blow me some
COIN"
AL light, Z II Ill pay 3
Powell for the horse keep. You show
up 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 a door at.
the further end. Stepping across thA1
threshold he closed the door behindl
him and faced Mccarthy and the exsN
preacher from Buffalo Gap, both Of
whom glanced up ex%pectantly. Shelby
leaned back against the wall and con-
templated the two, chewing on the
butt of q 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. l talked to
quite a 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. That's
why I hurried in here. We got to
pull the affair tonight"
The preacher spread his hands, way
ing the suggestion aside.
mo, no; that really wouldn't be-
decent, sc soon after the funeral. The
poor girl must be given opportunity
to OUR 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, Mac?"
81 don't see no objections. The
sooner it's cleaned up the better and
there won't be no hard feelin's among
the boys if we don't give 'em any time
to mill around"
"Yon aim to run the bunch in on
her with no notice?"
No: that's up to the preacher. He
invented this game and has got to take
care of that end of it. I don't know
nothin' bout females and don't aim
TO learn. Well leave the girl to this
gent from Buffalo Gap. Let him
mosey right over and talk it u with
her straight. He can put it sorter
rel%igious-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, If she's ever
goin' to be. Maybe she'll take it all
right and maybe she won't. You
ready TO try your luck, Dominica"
There is no question in my mind"
he answered solemnly, but that this
is the proper method Of procedure
I am therefore resigned to do my part.
| shall undertake the mission in the
high spirit Of my calling"
WELL" said Mccarthy who had
been writing industriously. here's TIE.
list Of gazabos I've made out. Their
amt no angels among EN-. but sh.
sure ought to pull a prize out O. thar
bunch, if she looks 'em over"
The preacher got to his feet.
"Tis as the Lord Wills" he said
gravely. 81 go humbly forth to do
my part"
CONTINUED Next weeBl