The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1921-01-14

1 Ike you"
In the darkness she could scarcely
see his face, but she felt the grip Of
his fingers and caught the eager ire
NOR in his voice.
Il sure am glad you said that" he
admitted, as helpless to express him
self as a child. Il sorter wanted you
to for-for a long while. HI! That's
Laud out there now"
He stepped over beside the door,
whipping both reviewers from his belt
and holding one In each hand. 4 small,
round hole had been dug through the
adobe plaster between the logs and he
bent down with his eye to the opening.
4 tall rangy white man. with a dirty
skin and scraggling red beard was
nearest at hand; and beyond him
crouched an Indian naked to the waist,
his face bIackened and chest disfg-
ured with gaudy paint. There e
others behind these scattered ont I'm
fan shape, but he could only make
them out indefinitely. Laud stood 50
close to the door his face could not
be seen, but he held a rifle in his
hands. pounding with the stock on the
wood, as he angrily demanded admit
lance.
Come on out Of there, yer big fool"
he roared. maddened by the silence.
we saw yer go back inside an we've
got yer this time. Come On, now; I
won't ask you again."
"0n what teTms?"
Shelby asked this more to proiong
delay than anything else. The feL
lows knew they were there, and it was
useless to pretend otherwise.
'aTerms-h-l!" and Indian Joe
burst out into a loud laugh. Hear
the cock crow, Hanley. Wen make
terms when we get hands on yer, yer
darn sneakfng spy. Only TIL say this !:
yerTI get it harder If yer hang On after
we do get yer-an'. by God! wen get
yer, sooner or later"
Wen take chances, Land. and the
fun is not going TO be all on one side"
1T won't, heyl So yer goin' ter
fight? All right; but there's more
o. this outfit comm. an yer a blamed
idiot; if We can get yer no other way
I reckon VIZ can burn yer. out. Come
on. now; save time and and open up"
He struck hard and angrfly with his
gunst9ck, but the stout wood held.
Shelby made no answer, again bending
low and peering out through the lar
row opening. The obstinate silence
must have maddened the fellow, for
he suddenly reversed his weapon and
fired. The ball crashed through the
wood, leaving a Jagged hole, and in
bedded itself in the solid log Of a
back wall. Before the smoke blew
away Shelby replied, sighting out
through the small aperture, determined
to make every shot count. The near
est white man flung up his arm which
dripped blood, GRABBED it and ran ;
the crOUching Indian behind. crum-
pied up as though crushed By some
sudden weight and never moved. Laud
sprang backward. startled by the
swift response from within. the smoke
swiriing up between his fingers. and
Shelby let drive. Whether the speed
ing bullet struck or missed he never
knew, but the squaw-man gave one
startled leap into the conceaiment of
the weeds, fell headlong, and then
went scrambiing down TO the bank of
the stream. 1t was all SO swiftly ae-
compIisned as to seem Ike a lashlight
picture. When the smoke cloud rolled
away not a figure was TO be seen.
Shelby stood up. gTimly smiling. and
replaced the cartridges in his weapon.
The end was not yet, but he had
taught them a lesson in caution
For a moment. blinded by gazing out
into the sunlight, he could see moth
ing clearly about him, not even the
figure Of Olga. where are your he
asked
Here, by the other door. What has
happened?"
He laughed, put at ease by the quick
response Of her voice.
ooh. I took pot shot out through
a hole in the wall. I thought we
might as well start the ball; Joe was
getting SO gay. Touched up two OF
them: now they'll go back and talk
it over" ~
Sure: the Indians will be for wait
ing till night, an that amt far OF.
What r You doing down thereT'
There was q note OF startled sur.
prise in her voice.
why. this is strange! II hadn't
noticed before; I was too frightened.
perhapS-but, come quick; Maeklin's
body is not hereI lit is gomez"
CT0 BE CoNTINUEDl