Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1921-01-27
CHAPTER xl-continued.


ice anymore" a..
But are you sure he's dead?'
"Sure?" Sneeringly. 81 don't know
how | could be no surer. | turned
the cuSS over an he was cold then.
You don't need worry none about that.
Wait a minute till ! see who the
guy was what tried to break in here
Shelby could hear Macklin cross the
ROOM and jerk the blanket from of
the bodies. The fellow gave utterance
to an oath of establishment at the
sight revealed.
'My God Did you ever see any
thing like that? Locked together like
two stays. HI! Sam was shot, but
he got the white guy even after he
was dead. D-n me, if it amt Hank
Slagin! Now, what does that mean?
reckon Hanley sent the galoot in
here. That comes from spillin' things
when yer drunk. Say, you an l have
got TO get out of here. I'll tell you
about it as quick as l can. It's plain
enough Hanley's got his eyes on you.
an will double-cross me if he once
gifts a chance"
"What is it you mean? I do not I'M
aerstand"
Naturally yer don't, SEEM l amt
told yer nothin'. But now that l know
yer amt pining away over that Teller
Shelby, reckon the sensible thing
fer me to do is ter talk straight
There's goin' ter be HI to pay in this
valley before long and the sooner we
get out O. here the better. l run across
soldier bout half way ter Gerlasche,
an he give me a pointer that made me
wheel about. an ride back"
"The Indian outbreak"
"Sure; the troops got in, an round
ed most of the Sioux up. They had a
fight at Wounded Knee, over yonder
an licked HI out of the reds. Some
of 'em got away though, an come
trai1n west-mostly young ones,
recYon-an' now they're sendin' cav
airy out ter ride em down. That's
Rhat he was after, bunch to come
scoutin' in through here"
"Here? Wolves hole?"
Morn likely; he didn't say nothin
bout that But they're mighty liable
ter call. I'm fer gittin' out, while the
COINS good. That's what come back
fOr-to get you, and skip"
"To-to get me?"
"Of course. I'll tell yer about 1t now,
an you'll go all right. l reckon you
never thought I run off with you
cause | loved your
"No-you-you loved me?"
~Thats the way of 1t. l saw you
long before that funeral down to Pom
"a: but this guy Shelby horned in
fore I was ready to act. You didn't
care nothin' for him. So says to my
self. then, I'll have her; I'll take her
whether she wants me or not. Long
as she don't love him, I'll make her
love me-see? Course ] didn't aim to
do no killing; that was just an acct
dent like an didn't do it nOhow. 1t
was Sam here who got gay, and beaned
Shelby"
But what would you do with me, if
If he had been alive?"
"There amt no use discussin' that,
fer he amt alive. It's what | want
ter do now that counts. Maybe I had
a plan then, an maybe l didn't. But
now got it all planned up proper.
I'm a goin' ter marry you. An that
goes whether yer're willin' or not.
amt even askin' you"
The expression of her face must
have brought the fellow a realization
that perhaps he was going altogether
too fast. for he broke in with an ex-
PLANTATION.
"See here now, don't get huffy. |
amt no Western rough-neck for you
TO be ashamed of. belong down East
in OF Virginia, an we got money to
burn. That's straight goods. My real
name amt Macklin at all; it's Church
III. | mean business an just as soon
as Indian Joe gets down here with
some horses, we're a goin' ter start"
"For where?" her voice trembling
in spite of every effort at self-control.
"To Gerlasche first; there's
preacher there, an then on to coos
country just as fast as the train Will
take us. That's my program, an let
me tell you, I'll be d--n glad ter git
away from Injuns, Mexs, an the rest
o. this rotten outfit No, you wait;
that will be Indian Joe comm now.
The door between the two rooms
had closed partially, yielding doubt
less to some faint draught of air. so
that Shelby ventured to survey the
scene through the narrow crack near
the hinges. Matters were becoming so
complicated he was at his wits end.
He had delayed too long, and, per-
haps II had been a mistake to advise
the girl to thus appear friendly 10 this
brute. Now. instead of being con
fronted by the Kid alone, he must also
race Laud. If he would prevent her
being carried away the second time'
The situation had become desperate.
Tie could see the girl standing