The St. Johns herald., 1921-07-21
CHAPTER xI-cOntinued.

~So. now he's dead he don't cut no fee anymore"
 -But are you sure he's deadT
 @Sure?" sneeringly. 'T don't know hOw I could be no surer. I 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 che bodies. The fellow gave utterance to an oath of astOnishment at the Sight revealed.
 My GOdI Did you ever see any 4hing like that? Locked together like two stags. H-l! Sam was shot, but he got the white guy even after he was dead. D-n me, if 1t ain't Hank $Siagin! Now, what does that mean? reckon HanIey sent the galoot in here. That comes from spillin' things when yer drunk. Say, you an have got to get out of here. I'll tell you about it as quick as 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? do not un- derstand"
 Naturally yer don't seein' ain't told yer nothin'. But now that l know yer ain't pining away over that feller Shelby, I reckon the sensible thing fer me to do is ter talk straight There's goin' ter be h--l to pay fin this valley before long, and the sooner we get out O here the better. run across a soldier bout half way ter Gerlasche, an he give me 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 wonder, an licked h-l out of the reds. Some of lem got away though, an come trailin' west-mostly young ones, l reckon-an' now they're sendin' cav airy out ter ride lem down. That's what he was after, a bunch to come scoutin' in through here"
 ''Here? Wolves hole?"
 ~Mor'n likely; he didn't say nothin' bout that. But they're mighty liable ter call. I'm fer gittin' out, while the EOfn's good. That's what come back for-to get you, and skip"
 ''TO-to get meY
 ~Of course. I'll tell yer about it now, an you'll go all right. I reckon you never thought I run off with you 'cause loved youT'
 ~No-you-you loved mel"
 soThat's the way of 1t. I saw you Hong before that funeral down to Pcn- ca; 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 accl- dent like. an didn't do 1t nohow. It was Sam here who got gay, and beaned Shelby"
 "But what would you do with me. if If he had been alive?"
 'eThere ain't no use discussin' that, fer he ain't alive It's what I want ter do now that counts. Maybe 1 had a plan then, an maybe I didn't. But now I got it all planned up proper. Ym gOin' ter marry you. An that goes whether yer're willin' or not. l aIn't even askin' you"
 The expression of her face must nave brought the fellow a realization Ghat perhaps he was going altogether too fast, for he broke in with an ex- pIanation.
 See here now, don't get hufry. I ain't no Western rough-neck for you to be ashamed of. belong down East En oI' Virginia, an we got money to burn. That's straight goods. My real name ain't Macklin at all it's Church 1IL mean business an just as soon as Indian Joe gets down here with some horses, we're a goin' ter start"
 "For whereT her voice trembling in spite of every effort at self-control.
 ''TO GerIasche first; there's a preacher there, an then on to Gods country just as fast as the train will take us. That's my program, an let lEne tell you, I'll be d--n glad ter git away from Injuns, Mexs, an the rest sO' this rotten outfit. No, you wait that will be Indian Joe comin' now.'
 The door between the two rooms had closed partially, yielding doubt