The Pulaskian., 1921-03-10
have you ever heard that name be-

"No; am sure not"
 Tt was your mothers name. She came from Virginia, and was heiress to considerable property. It was left to her in trust. and her uncle was the trustee"
 My motherY
 "Yes; she never knew this while she lived. but your father learned some of the facts after her death, and en- deavored to verify them. His search was what started trouble; for your uncle. the trustee-his name is Cor l nelius Churchill-had made no effort to locate the heir to the property left in his care. Instead he had used the money, believing himself perfectly safe. When he learned of your fa- thers suspicious, he became fright ened."
 Gan this be true?"
 Tt 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 ill-gotten wealth. For tunately you could not immediately be located; you had been hidden away in Catholic school, and, before Church i'll succeeded in discovering what school you were at Calkins took you away, and destroyed every trail."
 "Calkinsl Who and what was he?'
 "A sergeant in your fathers troop; a faithful fellow to whom your father had conflded 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 this2"
 T cannot answer that; no doubt he thought 1t best; believed the time had not come. understand he acted under legal advice. Then, you know. his death was very sudden"
 "Did he kill himself?"
 "I do not think so now. That was l the story in Ponca, but 1t Is my belief he was murdered. You had finally been traced; the man who had suc- ceeded in finding your trail was in Ponea. Calkins had to be put out of ] the way"
 "You-mean Macklin7"
 "Yes; only, as I say, that is prob- ably not the fellows name-he Is Cor nelius ChurchiIl's son."
 "Where-where did you learn all thisY.
 "MackIin told the story, when he was drunk, to another rascal. crept up to campfire one night and heard the latter relate the tale." l ssWhere was this ?''
 "On Dragoon creek"
 "Yes-but when2'
 Might before last; while I was seeking to trail you"
 She had never released her grasp of his hand; now 1t frightened.
 Might before last; you-you never knew it beforeT'
 Certainly not"
 "You didn't marry me be-because I had all this money?"
 Shelby laughed lightly.
 "Lord, no; I 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-because 1t was me?"
 'That's sure right; leastwise until I CT oIy fC creek. and I can't say that cared a l 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 OF that."
 "Oh. I am glad you said sol And l you-you actually don't care for the money?"
 Care for it Little girl. I ain't given it thought. I'm here for youl"
 Me? You care for me?'
 "Well, reckon I must. Long as you're my wife, I'm your husband, ain't I7'
 "Yes," she said. rather wearily, "I understand"
 Her glance was toward the open door into the other room. and she seemed anxious to change the topic.
 "What-what happened out there last night? Do you knowf There was fighting, and a shot fired. am sure l heard cry, as though some one was hurt, and then after that everything was silent"
 ''There was a fight" he answered. "and 1t cost the lives of two men one white, the other Indian. 1 found them gripped in each others arms there on the floor, both dead"
 Both dead! Two of them out there. How horrible Who are theyY
 "One must have been your guard"
 "Yes, the Indian but the otherY "A ruffian named Slagin; he was