The Holbrook news., 1921-04-22
CHAPTER II.
Outlining a Plot.

OutIInin9 PIOL.
 The Occidental hotel, Hicks proprie- tor, was merely a place in which one could sleep and eat, if one was thor oughly acclimated to border ideas of comfort. Mccarthy, having no home of his own, roomed over his saloon, but was compelled to eat the Hicks brand of cooking, and, with many | apologies therefor, had, on this partic- ular occasion, the ex-reverend from Buffalo Gap as his honored guest Shelby saw the two when he first en- tered, over in the farther corner and, as there chanced to be a vacant seat beside Mccarthy, he made his slightly uncertain way in that direction and succeeded in safely establishing him. self on the empty bench. The room was well filled with men, most of them still discussing the important event of the afternoon, and he soon became aware that the conversation of the two next to him bore upon the same sub- ject.
 Shelby stared at the smoking. greasy mess outspread before him, prying open a soggy biscuit, and asked a question of Mccarthy.
 How'd the collection come out, Mac?"
 "What collection? Oh, for the gurl bout five hundred, want it, reve- rend?"
 -Four ninety-seven," said the preacher in his deep voice. Quite an assistance for the young woman in this time of bereavement as I am informed her father left little or no property"
 "Property Old Calkinsi Well, I should say not. And what's more," the saloon-keeper becoming interested, ''L don't see how that moneys goin' ter do her much good. I was just talzin' ter the dominic yere about her. Tom, what is she agoin' ter do? An what he'd this town ought ter do fer her?
 What do you mean? They done enough, ain't they, with that swell funeral an five hundred bucks on top of it? What more would she expect?"
 "She don't expect nuthin'. That ain't her style. I got an idee she WOA CfCh d((CPS lAAo' GULL. She's the ornariest heifer I ever saw. But that's got no bearin' on us She's an orphan, left yere in Ponca with I1o visible means of support. She's a decent girl; nobody ever said nuth- in against her, and the way it looks ter me we got a moral duty ter per form. Amt that 1t, Reverend?"
 "That is the thought endeavored to convey" returned the visitor from Buffalo Gap seriously. You heard me, presume, young man?"
 "Only the last few sentences" ad- mitted Shelby. q don't belong here. but just happened to drift in today"
 "Tom's ranchin' over on the Cotton wood" interrupted Mccarthy, "but he's a mighty straight guy, an I'd like ter have him express his feelin's on this yere fdee O yours, Reverend. It's rather a new one on me-"
 The preacher strengthened up and cleared his throat.
 "Well, here's the case of a young girl, seventeen or eighteen years old. who has had no experience whatever in life, suddenly left an orphan in this town, without any money or friends, so to speak Where can she go? What can she do? There isn't a place she could earn a living here, excepting the dance hall; there isn't a place fin this town she could call home. That is what I tried to make clear to Mir. McCarthy-that the men of this town ought to give her chance Mac here's a married man; got a wife and two daughters of his own back East and he cottoned to my idea right away"
 "But what is your idea?"
 Marriage, sir-marriage; honorable matrimony. I even offer my services freely. The girl should be given a husband and home; this would as- sure her future and relieve Ponca of every obligation. Do you see the point?"
 "Yes." admitted Shelby, yet rather