The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-04-27

that | would care"
"But do you know who he is? Did |
he tell YOU? Did the fellow explain
his purpose in this outrage?"
81 do not know he had no time, no
opportunity; we were never alone.
What do you mean? Was this all
done for some deliberate purpose?"
"Yes, it was, Olga. His name is not
Macklin at all; It is probably Churchill
have you ever heard that name be-
fore?"
mo; am sure not"
at was your mothers name. She
came from Virginia, and was heiress
TO considerable property. 1t was left
to her in trust and her uncle was the
trustee"
"My mother?"
"Ycs; she never knew this while she
lived but your father learned some
of the facts, after her death, and en-
dcavored to verify them. His search
was what started trouble; for your
uncle, the trustee-his name is Cor
nelius Churchll-had made no effort
in his care. Instead he had used the
money, believing himself perfectly
safe. When he learned of your IA
| Tiers suspicious, he became fright
| ened."
| "Can this be true?"
ut evidently is true, strange as 1t
seems. Then your father was killed.
perhaps through some row engineered
by Churchill to put him out Of the
way. and they made every effort to
find you. You alone stood between
them and this lll-gotten wealth. For
tunately you could not Immediately be
located; you had been hidden away in
a Catholic school, and, before Church.
i'll succeeded in discovering what
school you were at, Calkins took you
away, and destroyed every trail"
"Calkins! Who and what was hep
"a sergeant in your fathers troop;
faithful fellow to whom your father
had confided his story before he died.
His one object was to keep you safely
out Of Churchill's hands until you
should become of age. That was why
he dragged you from town to town
and kept you in poverty"
"But why did he never tell me all
this?"
II cannot answer that; no doubt he
thought it best; believed the time had
not come. I understand he acted under
legal advice. Then, you know, his
death was very sudden"
Did he kill himsef?"
81 do not think so now. That was
the story in Ponca, but it is my belief
he was murdered. You had finally
been traced; the man who had sue
ceeded In finding your trail was in
Ponca. Calkins had to be put out of
the way"
"You-mean Macklin?"
| "Ies; only, as I say, that is prob
ably not the fellows name-he is Cor
nelius Churchills son."
"Where-where did you learn all
this?"
"Macklin told the story, when he
was drunk, to another rascal. crept
up to campfire one night and heard
the latter relate the tale"
"Whcre was this?"
ION Dragon creek"
"Yes-but when?"
"Night' before last; while I was
seeking to trail YOU"
She had never released her grasp Of
his hand; now it frightened.
"Night before last; you-you never
knew 1t before?"
"Certainly not"
"You didn't marry me be-because
! had all this money!"
Shelby laughed lightly.
Lord, no; never suspected you
had five cents"
"And-and," she went on earnestly.
"you-you followed after me, hurt as
you was, never knowing about all this
-just-hecause it was me?"
"That's sure right; leastwise until I
struck this outfit over on Dragon
creek, and l can't say that l cared a
d-n about the money at all; only 1t
gave me notion of what was up. I'd
come just the same; you can bet your
life on that"
"Oh, am glad you said sol And
you-you actually don't care for the
money!"
"Care for 1t! Little girl, amt
given 1t thought. I'm here for
you'll"
"Me? You care for mel"
swell, l reckon l must. Long as
you're my wife. rp your husband,
amt II"
YES" she said, rather wearily, II
understand"
Her glance was toward the oper
door into the other room. and sht
seemed anxious to change the topic.
"What-what happened out there
last night? Do you know? There wa!
fighting, and shot fired. l am sure
heard cry, as though some one wa!
hurt. and then after that everythin:
was SILENT"