The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-02-09
money, nor snapped up by some mer-

During the next half hour Shelby
managed to interview at least half
dozen whom he considered eligible
bachelors or lonely widowers, artfully
selecting those known to be Of some.
what sportive disposition. to whom
such a proposition as he had to offer
might naturally appeal. A few Of
these treated the suggestion prOfanely I
others were rather evasive, but the /
majority thus automatically approach !
ed evinced sufficient interest to yield
much encouragement. His wares had
been brought to a good market and Old
Dads girl, rendered particularly at. |
tractive by a "dot" running up into
the thousands would find plenty Of
eager suffers. Now that the rumor
Of her eligibility was being privately
circulated from mouth TO mouth. any
unnecessary delay would only render /
the affair more complicated.
He would report at once The sue
cess Of his mission and urge h1S co. |
conspirators to immediate action. 1t
would sure be fine sight to see these
fellows lined up while that girl looked
them over, deliberately making a
choice. Suddenly his gaze rested on
a young man, dejectedly hanging over
the end Of the bar, arguing with
bartender, who only shook his head
impassively. Shelby moved along un.
til he ranged up beside the fellow.
"What's your Manner
".1oe NIacklin."
'They call you kid don't they.
round here?"
"Sure; mostly. What are yer drivin'
at, anyhow"
"Why, this. I got ranch over on
the Cottonwood, an come in here to
pick up cow-hand. got half
breed. but I need another. That's
where stand"
"What'll it pay?"
"Forty dollars. You got a horse?"
"Well, the crltter looks like one:
turned out in Powell's corral, but
amt got no money to pay fer his
feed. Yer'll have ter blow me some
coin."
"All right; here's ten and I'll pay
|
up here sober at ten tomorrow, or else
I'll leave you here; that's straight"
He strobe away across the big
crowded room and opened door at
the further end. Stepping across the
threshold he closed the door behind
, him and faced Mccarthy and the ex-
preacher from Buffalo Gap. both OF
whom glanced up expectantly. Shelby
leaned back against the wall and con-
| templated the two, chewing on the
butt Of cigar.
| "Well," he said bluntly. "the cards
are stacked, gents; now, all you got
to do is to play your hands,"
| "What do you mean? The boys are
for it?"
Hungry and swapping. talked to
quite a bunch. The one thing I'm
afraid of is that some galoot may take
notion to hunt the girl up before
we can get things into shape. That's
why hurried in here. We got to
pull the affair tonight"
The preacher spread his hands, wav.
ing the suggestion aside.
mo. mo; that really wouldn't be
decent, so soon after the funeral. The
poor girl must be given opportunity
to mourn in peace"
"Shucks! It will give her something
whole bunch will be after her by
morning. What do you say. Mac?
II don't see no objections. The
sooner it's cleaned up the better and
there won't be no hard feelin's among
the boys If we don't give 'em any time
to mill around"
"You aim to run the bunch In on
her with no notice?"
mo; that's up to the preacher. He
invented this game and has got to take
care OF that end of It. don't know
nothin' bout females and don't aim
to learn. Wen leave the girl to this
gent from Buffalo Gap. Let him
mosey right oyer and talk It out with
her straight. He can put it sorter
religious-like. Say we give him an
hour an then shoot the bunch over to
the shack; that ought to be long
enough for him to get the girl into
the right frame Of mind, If she's ever =,
goin' to be. Maybe she'll take It all |
right and maybe she won't. You
ready to try your luck. DominieY'
''There is no question in my mind"
he answered solemnly, but that this |
is the proper method OF procedure.
I am therefore resigned to do my part. |
! shall undertake the mission In the |
high spirit Of my calling"
"Well." said Mccarthy who had |
been writing industriously. heres the |
list Of gnzabos I've made out. There |
amt no angels among 'em. but she
sure ought to pull prize out O. that
bunch, IL she looks "ern over"
The preacher got to his feet.
''ris as the Lord Wills" he said
gravely. II go humbly forth to do
my part"