Gunnison news-champion., 1921-02-25


I TO stand IN drops on his forehead
There va, no body lying there. DO
sorrs % man ether living or dead;
the pisce was absolutely unoccupied.
He could hardly believe this true; his
I mind refused TO grasp the fact; be
cane back to the door dezed and un-
aeryet All nature. all reasoning told
hin TIE man must Re somewhere with
In the cabin: any other thought was
simply impossible yet vheref He had
slr,.aiy explored every inch OF surface
70 no result So bevIldered and DUN
founded was he before this mystery
tha' he vas even startled at the girls
Eoice asking en- eager question
. is he theref Did you nnd him7-
"So: he's gone as though he had
q pair Of wings"
"EGt how could he get outT
That's whst say. Everything Is
sori: no human could vanish through
thee walls: there Isn't q window not
boa ried up and only that one door
We wasn't outside ten minutes. nor
ter feet away from the step rat
couldn't have passed without beln'
leen. Blamed II II don't make me
shlyer for. by thunder. however II
hsrpenet. he amt here: he amt no
who're In this cabin. An he added.
pegrtng AT the floor. there amt no
trTIl o blood to show that he crawled
AWAY: just that little pool what he
laid in
Could he have got through the roof,
or The soorT-'
Shelby laughed despondently.
Lord. ! don't easily see how he
could: It's fifteen feet TO them rarfers
ar no opening. while Judging from
outside. the floor musi rest plum on
the ground. Who shot him. anyhowi
DID you seeT
Yes. ! did" she explained e1cItedly.
81 was looking that way. toward where
the board was ripped OF the window.
/ lust had n glimpse OF face behind
tie nuzzle OF the gun. II was a wom-
AZ; am sure 1t was a woman, with
BLACK eyes. Then the smoke obscured
ev"rythlng and she was gone"
She must have been Psncha.- he
admitted. struggling with the idea.
why. OF course. that's all plain
enough. She overheard what he said
and fired IN mad passion"
What do you meant What are you
talking about? This gIrl7''
Sure: told you about her: she
helped me escape last night She was
crHzlly Jealous over Macklln. She IL
Mexican and Is here with her brother;
little outlaw, no dottt knowing no
law but her own passion. She must
have been there when he boosted TO
Laud that he would leave her and mar
ry you. II drove her crazy and she
shot"
Il can understand that-yes." Olga
burst forth, "and later she was sorry.
| believe II was she who came back
and took the body away"
y hardly see how that theory helps
much. How could she take hirhr'
Perhaps she may know some Sc
crei passage. There might he one un-
dernea,h. do not know. yet In what
other way could the body have been
-emovedF"
shelby shook his head gloomily, his
eyes searching the floor for any evi.
dence and finding none. To all ap-
penrnnces 1t appeared smooth and
solid.
Il don't know he said. That idea
may be as good as any. You might
TAKE this broken knife OF mine an
see II you can start ANYTHING. wha.
vas goIn' on out theref"
Nothing much that could see,
There are men hiding behind the bank
OF the creek think they are Indians,
and there may be others OF To the
right In the weeds"
Just guard left there TO see that
we don't get away. They'll walt until
dark and then try TO burn us out
! reckon; the bucks don't like my
shooting. That was rifle"
"fes; the bullet struck the log"
He crossed over and looked out anx-
iously.
Il thought It might he signal. but
guess not. Don't seem TO be any
thing moving"
lie Strengthened up again. his eyes
surveying the room. IF we only had
two more in this outfit we might give
those devils run for their money.
The trouble Is We can defend only
two sides, an they know it-anyhow,
Laud does. I'm goin' to hnul this
bench over on that side; then you can
stand up there. and shoot through that
hole In the window while pepper
them from here in front. Wen make
II hot while 1t lasts"
She watched him shift the bench,
and then stood upon II to look out.
The sun had gone down. and the val
ley swan In purple haze II she
would utilize what little light still re-
mained. she must search at once.
Nothing out thereT
Il can sse nothing moving. II Is
growing dark. Let me take the knife"