The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1921-02-12


cards right i'm my hands. 1t sure
proved she was the girl an now SHE
was left plum alone, it didn't look no
awful hard job for me to shine up an
marry her. before enybOdy else Sot |
wise. Say, had it all figured out Wheh !
you an Dan Mccarthy horned III Oh
that fool stunt of yours, an khocheu
my game galey-west. Then | cOttohe''
onto that jot with you. / didn't ann
to stay out there punchin' steers put
just thought I'd see how things turhe"
out. | sorter figured it this way-'ie
girl she didn't care nOthin' for you
she just married yer ter get out or
there, an hay some place ter llNe' an
maybe, out there on the Cottonwood L
could make love to her, an some uaS
we'd skip out together. That's as Tar
as l went at furst, an gOin' OUT over
them prairies, l got it into my heau
that she didn't have no objection 10
little filtration. l was feelln qulle
foxy about it when we got TO the
ranch"
The lashes dropped low over olSa
eyes, and her cheeks burned
"Then reckon the devil must er
took charge O. the game, fer the MN
ute | was left alone out there run
into a bunch o. Indian cattle thieves.
| knew two of 'em for they were ou'
of the Hole here, an all at Onct' II
struck me | might just as well have
| I ~ |
care about you, an that little strong
arm stuff would pan out all right. II
works with most women. l dldh
| have no notion then of humping you
off, Shelby. but the buck who took that
lob cracked you good an hard. Wen.
| that makes the whole story. don't it,
He shut his eyes, his head falling
back in complete exhaustion. ON! HIS
! labOred breathing proved that MACK
lin still lived Olga held him MOTION
less in her lap. bending ever and soft
" smoothing back his hair win one
hand. shelby left them there creep
ing out through the entrance onto the
rock platform without.
II he'd ceased showing, but eEough
had fallen to cover the blutt Win
white mantle. Obliterating the trail
and leaving the valley below covered
The SKY arched over all dull ana gray.
Shelby hung out over the ledge
watchfnlly studying the view out
spread beneath. 1t was peacelul
scene enough, with scarcely moving
figure visible. He could hardly real
i've that this was the haunt OF our
laws. where only few hours before
he had been desperately struggling Tor
life. The daylight revealed no sign
of disorder or pursuit. the only re-
minder of what had occurred being
the blackened ruins of the burned
|. cabin almost directly below. Yet
this was deserted and the snow
about appeared untrampled. The
, sight gave him hope, yet he felt
; strangely depressed and unnerved.
! The remembrance Of the scene just
witnessed could not be cast off.
: He had no reason to question the
truth of that occasion and ii had
impressed him strongly. Macklin was
r evidently dying; was already beyond
I help. Any breath might prove to be
! his last, and it was even then too late
!, for any doctor to save him. But would
Pancha return in time to assist them
: Would she bring sufficient help will
her? In spite of the OminOus quie
1 below he felt no faith that indian JO'
/ would so easily abandon their trail
t He was not that kind. Something
e would assuredly arouse his suspicion
k that they had not persisted in tn
k flames. Indeed, that could be eaSil
e ascertained by a search of the debris
n and the perturbed ranchman was IA
e from being satisfied that Panch
n alone knew of this secret trail. Why
Macklin stated he had himself been u
as far as the cave; and it was scarcel
d likely it had been entirely OverlOOke
II so long by these others-the Indian
m certainly must have secured ever
i. inch of these bluffs ut one time or al
other. Something. for the mOmen
may have drawn aside suspicious
4 his escape, yet those devils woul
track him down. The cOnvictio
haunted him.
> He drew back just in time. TheI
was the sharp crack of rife; bu
let Clipped the outer edge of the par;
pet, and a little puff of smoke curle
up away to the left and vanishe
against the leaden sky. Shelby re
fiat on his face and crept backwar
seeking instinctively the protection
an overhanging rock, his eyes instan
ly marking that vague spiral of smoK
He had guessed right. Indian cunniT
had already learned the truth and ha
found means of approach unknoW
hi even to the. Mexican girl. Somewhel
HH In the security of those rocks, ket
IIII eyes were watching every mOveme1
l9 savagely eager TO end all by some we
directed shot. Yet, with the chug
the bullet, all depression left him. +
knew now what he had to face; tn
narrow platform must be defended +
hours probably, revolvers pitt
against rifles; himself alone again
an unknown number of ASSISTANTS.
Il meant caution as well as bravery, &
quick wit of a white man Outgener;
I ing savage treachery. Even as
rolled over. so as to cautiously lift !
VI head. the "45" was jerked from
hoIster and rested ready i'm his haT