The Pulaskian., 1921-01-27
CHAPTER VII-continued.

Yet it was actually true; impossible as 1t seemed. 1t was nevertheless an incontroyertible fact. He had never spoken to her single word of love; he had never even kissed her, and still, before both God and man, she was his wife. The strangeness of the situation bewildered him. Why, he did not even know who she was; what right she had to claim the family name under which he had married her; what strange story of crime might shadow her history. It was all mystery, mystery in which he was becoming deeply involved. Calkins had evidently been hiding her from some fate, but whether of good or evil. could not yet be determined. This present abduction, beyond question, had to do with that concealed past, perhaps with some happening before she was even born. These fellows were not robbers; their raid was not Intended for any such purpose they had touched nothing, even the horses were left undisturbed in the corral, and the moment they gained posses sion of her they had hurriedly depart ed. It had all been carefully planned, with Macklin to choose the time, and then executed quietly. Their only mis- take was in leaving him behind alive. But for that one error no one ever would have known what had occurred, or dreamed of her fate And now, as- sured of safety, believing the dead would tell no tales, that they had left behind no evidence of their crime, the outfit was riding carelessly across the lonely prairie, seeking somewhere a safe rendezvous.
 Shelby refined his horse to the left, and sought a water hole he remem- bered, himself drinking first, and then Standing by while the animal quenched Its thirst. Leaving the buckskin there, with rein trailing on the ground, he climbed the steep side of a butte, and swept the distant horizon with field glass. It was a trackless waste, drear and deserted of all life. Not a thing that moved crossed his range of vision; and, at last, he snapped the 6eld glasses back into their case, slipped down the steep face of the butte, and silently remounted.
 The sun was some time past the meridian, and he felt convinced those he followed could not be far from the trail he was endeavoring to locate. He game upon it in less than an hour, leading straight down a narrow val ley. whose general course was directly west. He dismounted and studied the Tracks with care. This was his party beyond a doubt-five horses, one with split hoof
 # An hour later he found where the party had halted, made fire among. some rocks. and prepared food He studied every sign with care. hoping for some message of guidance from her; but there was none. Either she had been too carefully watched by her captors. or had given up in despair Nsny thought of rescue. Doubtless she sbelieved him dead also; perhaps had even witnessed the blow struck. but if mot would assuredly have been in- Formed of what had happened. The xstamping of the ponies hoofs indi- cated that the party had remained in athat spot for some time, in no hurry 4to proceed. Shelby studied the foot prints, satisfying himself that four were Indian, and one white, unques- tionably Maclllin. With only five horses this meant that the girl rode with ore of the men, probably the Kid & He discovered where she probably was sitting during the meal. torn spiece of crumpled sacking bearing mute testimony that her hands had sbeen bound. and released so that she sSmight eat. The fellows were evident Ely unafraid of ner any longer, and had not tied her up again when they
 Resumed the journey.
 It was nearly. sundown when the fynS h followed swerved to the right