The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-03-16
CHAPTER VII.
An Hour Behind

/ There was no marked trail, but the
instincts OF a plAlnsman kept Shelby's
course directly 70 the northwest. The
bronco. n9w thoroughly tanned. and
ObedIcnt ITO the slightest pressure Of
the rlDer's leg. kept tireless gait,
Ipickjyig out .unaided the easiest paths.
IFrrm the general direction OF the trail
VT by the raiders he had decided
they were heading for certain por-
ton OF the Bad Lands, and, If this
Theory was correct, he ought easily 10
lcut across their tracks again late In
1.-THE afternoon. Sitting upright in the
deep saddle, with the straight back
0f the cavalryman, his eyes wutchful,
his lips grimly set, he rode steadily on
hour after hour, thinking, planning.
beginning now to realize the depth of
his own interest in this effort at res
cue. He had Hardly comprehended be-
fore that this girl was really his wife
THAT her life had become his to
guard. TIE affair between them had
occurrcf so swiftly, so unexpectedly.
he hs'd not before awakened to Its
ItrW meaning But now 1t BECAME very
Iyeal, and he was positively surprised
ITO learn the strength Of hold she al
Nready shad upon him.
His mind would linger over a thou
sand little womanly peculiarities
which somehow had unconsciously i'm
pressed him--the soft glow in her
eyes, the usefulness of her smile; the
slight dUnple In her chin; the pulsing
Of blood In her cheeks the round firm
ness Of tile white neck; the peculiar
gracefulness of her walk; the name
less attrnctiveness of poise all came
back now In odd fascination. He was
not aware before that he had even,
noticed these things, but now tlei>
memory dominated him. caused, his
pulses to quicken. He had known lit
tie Of women since boyhood, and never
before had he encountered on terms
OF intimacy this type of woman. She
had been q revelation tn him even In
his blindness. but now, under the spell
OF memory. she had, suddenly changed
TO Nh Inspiration. His wife, Olga
Carlyn, his wife He said The words
over, ms though he recalled Il dream.
the sound OF the words causing the
stn,slsd bnclsskm to cast back al evil
eye a. his Unconscious rider.
Y Yc: It was actually true; impossible
MS L seemed. It was nevertheless an
incrltr0veltihle fact. He had never
spoken to her a single word of love-;
he Ind. never even kissed her, and
still. before both God and man, she
wns his wife. The strangeness of the
situption bewidcred him.. Why, be
did not even know, who she was;
what right she had to claim the family
name under which he had married
her; whit strange story OF crime
might shadow her history. II was all
mystery. a mystery in which he was
becoming deeply involved. Calkins
had evidently been hiding her, from
some fate. but whether OF good or
evil, could not vet be determined This
present abduction. beyond question.
had 10 do with that concealed past,
perhaps with some happening before
she was even born. These fellows
intended for any such purpose; they
Ind touched nothing. even. the horses
Were left undisiurhed In The corral,
xand the moment they gained posses
sion Of her they had hurriedly depart
Y Ell. II hadsall been carefully planned,
with Macklin to choose the time. and
then executed quietly, Their only mis-
nike WAS IN leaving him behind alive.
But for that one error no one ever
would have known what had occurred
Or dreamed Of her fate. And now. as
sured of safety. believing the dead
would tell no tales. HAT they had left
shehind no evidence DC their crime, the
outfit was riding carelessIy across. The
slohely prairie. seeking Somewhere a
sslfe rendezvous.
i Shelby rclnel his horse 10 the left !.
md sought water hole he rcncn,.
hered. himself drinking first. ami tllen
Standing by while the animal quenched
its thirst. Leaving the buckskin there.
with rein trailing on the ground. he
climbed the steep side of butte. and
swept the distant horAon with a fel,i
glass. II was trackless waste. drear
md deserted of all life. Not a thing
fhnt inoved crossed his range Of
vision and, at iast.l he snapped the
Held g.asses back into their case.
slipped down the steep face of the
butte. and silently renounted.
The sun was some time past the
meridian. and he felt convinced those