Licking Valley courier., 1921-02-03

Shelby saw the two when he flrst en-
tered, over in the farther corner and.
as there chanced to be vacant seat
beside Mccarthy. he made his slightly
uncertain way in that direction ana
succeeded in safely establishing HIM
self on the empty bench. The room
was well filed 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 soggy biscuit, and asked
question of Mccarthy.
How'd the collection come out.
Mac"
''What collectlon2 Oh for the gurl 4:
bout five hundred, want 1t, reve-
rend"
-Four nlnety-seven," said the
preacher in his deep voice. "Quite
an assistance for the young woman
in this time of bereavement, as l am
Informed her father left little or no
property"
"Property! Old Calkins! Well, ]
should say not. And what's more,
the saloon-keeper becoming interested.
81 don't see how that moneys goin
ter do her much good. was just
talllin' ter the dominic yere about her.
Tom, what is she hgoin' ter do? An
what he'd this town ought ter do fer
hher?"
"What do you mean? They done
enough, amt they, with that swell
funeral an five hundred bucks on top
of It? What more would she expect1
"She don't expect nuthin'. That
amt her style. l got an idee she
won't even accept this bunch O. coin.
She's the ornariest heifer l ever saw.
But that's got no bearin' on us, She's
an orphan, left yere in Ponca with
no visible means Of support. She's
a decent girl; nobody ever said nuth-
in against her, and the way 1t looks
ter me we got 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. l presume, young man|
"Only the last few sentences" ad-
mitted Shelby. u don't belong here,
but just happened to drift In today"
"Tom's ranchln' 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 we're ldee o yours, Reverend.
It's rather a new one on me-"
The preacher Strengthened up and
cleared his throat.
swell, here's the case of 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 place she
could earn a living here. excepting
the dance hall; there isn't place in
this town she could call home. That
is what ! tried to make clear to Mr.
McCartly-that the men of this town
ought to give her a 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 idea7"
" Marriage. slr-marrlage; honorable
matrimony. even offer my service:
freely. The girl should be given Q
husband and a home; this would as
sure her future and relieve Ponca Of
every obligation. Do you see the
pointT
"Yes." admitted Shelby, yet rather
dazed at the project, "but there would
seem to he certain obstacles in th,
way Of such scheme. No doubt yol
have considered these. Who, for In
stance, would marry herr"
"There isn't likely to be Rny trouble
about that" confidently. 'If she'd a,
up she'd be a right goodlooking girl
besides, she's got five hundred dollar
TO start with and that's more none,
| thnn lot Of these gazahos ever say
in all their lives. I'll bet there's iirt
men IN ponca that would jump at tn
chance"
4 "Rounders aud tin-horns."
/ "Some Of them--sure. But ther
would be some decent fellows amonI
them. That's about how we figured Il
McCauhyr
The sulOonkeepe nodded.
~ "There's quite few OF the rleh
kind round Ponca. 'rom.- who'd b