Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1921-01-20

dead white man. The features were
2 discolored, distorted from the agony
! in which he had died. the lips drawn
back, disclosing a grinning row of
} teeth. The face scarcely appeared
, human. and yet was vaguely familiar.
He had seen it once before, revealed
in the glare of a match. and the recol-
lection came back haunting him-the
fellow was Slagin, Hanley's partner
Then he had come there for no good
Had come there in the night like a
Sinking cur, knowing of Macklin's alb
sence, to carry out some foul object of
his own.
The ranchman drew in a long
breath, and stood up. The silence and
gloom oppressed him, as his eyes once
more swept about the dismal apart
ment 1t was surely fit abode for
murder, but the sight OF those two
dead bodies interlOcked on the floor
was more than he could bear. Obey
ing the first impulse he dragged them,
still gripping each other, across the
floor, and thrust them under the bench,
1inging over them the folds of tat
tered blanket.
But what Of her-Olgaf Surely no
one could have been here since these
two men fought? Otherwise their
bodies would have been found, and
cared for. 1t must be that Macklin
had not yet returned. and that Hanley
knew nothing of Slagin's desperate
venture. Then the girl must still be
confined in the house, helpless to es-
cape and guarded by these dead men.
| The thought sent the blood surging
into Shelbys throat, and his eager
eyes sought the only door opening
| through the side wall. 1t was tightly
| closed and secured by strong bar of
wood. He picked up the revolver |
from the floor, and went swiftly for !!
ward, prepared to face whatever might |
be revealed beyond. The bar fitted |
snugly, yet he forced it free of the
clasps, and pushed the door open with
his knee, watchfuliy peerlng into the
darkness behind. He saw nothing, no
fiutter of movement. no evidence that
the place was occupied. In spite of
daylight without, the room. with it's
shattered windows remained black.
His heart almost ceased to beat yet
he advanced into the room, ,dinging
the door wide open behind him, This
admitted sufficient light to enable him
to dimly make out his RulAP* 1gs-
couch, covered with thtsTin, a
rudely made chair, bucFgVldyawater
in one corner, and a fam ~ Fealed
figure against the further. way
"Olga" he exclaimed, "Olga!"
She moved, leaning forward eagerly.
"Who are you? Who calls me?"
at is you, then?" he sprang forward.
Don't be afraid am Shelby"
"Shelby-you! Tom Shelby! o
God this is not dream" {
mo, no! am just as real as you I
are. See; touch me. You thought I {
was dead?" {
Her hands were in his own; her
eyes, still incredulous, searching his
face in the dim light.
'Dead-yes! They told me so; an V
Indian said he had crushed in your f
skull. He boosted of it; and when /
asked that Macklin, he only laughed
when he said it was So"
Laughed, how?" b
Her eyes fell. S
"He-he didn't seem to think it t
could make much difference to me; o
hat l would care" h
But do you know who he is? Did p
lie tell you? Did the fellow explain Il
lis purpose in this outrage?" d
II do not know; he had no time, no b
opportunity; we were never alone g
What do you mean? Was this all
lone for some deliberate purpOse?" II
"Yes, it was, Olga. His name is not
Iacklin at all; it is probably Churchill m
have you ever heard that name be- d
ore?" W
No; l am sure not"
ut was your mothers name. She 81
anne from Virginia, and was heiress III
D considerable property. 1t was left
, her in trust, and her uncle was the ~
'ustee." III
"My mother?" yto
Eyes; she never knew this while she
{ the facts after her death, and en-
Favored to verify them. His search ali
as what started trouble; for your sa
ncle. the trustee-his name Is Cor go
ellus Churchll-had made no effort siT
locate the heir to the property left mi
his care. Instead he had used the 20
oney, believing himself perfectly pc
lfe. When he learned of your ia alb
er's suspicious, he became fright
led." an
"Can this be true?"
at evidently is true. strange as It du
ems. Then your father was killed, 20
rhaps through some row engineered
Churchill to put him out Of the TIL
ny, and they made every effort to rec
ID you. You alone stood between to
EN- and this ill-gotten wealth. For die
nately you could not Immediately be
~ ted Won had bepn hidden awav I'm sin