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

How the HI do / know? l never
I caught sight o nnthin' hut the print
I of that boot. | secuted up the creek /;
then that first bunch O. Indians come
trailin' in. an l had no time to think
/ about anything since. only gettin' my
/ cattle out o. here"
But you'll go with us nowY'
"For a ways, anyhow; reckon
there amt nothin' else to do; them
soldiers is bound to get here"
"And the sooner we're off the better.
You ready?"
He wheeled and confronted the
shrinking, frightened girl, who made
no reply.
well, by God you better be. Get
the horses, Joe; I'll fetch her along.
all right"
Shelby Strengthened up. In spite of
the odds, he must act now, or never.
Yet, before he could take step for
ward, a single shot rang out sharply.
He saw MackIin fling up his arms,
and reel backward. his body striking
the half-Open door, before it crashed
to the floor, and lay motionless.
The impact of Macklin's body had
flung the door wide open, leaving Shell
by fully exposed to view. For an in
slant, however, the startled and be-
wildered Laud failed to note his re-
vealment against the darkness of that
Interior He had leaped back instant
ly to the protection of the WALL and.
gun in hand, crouched there with
eyes fixed on the broken window OPP
posite. Shelby was swift to take adj
vantage of his surprise. Wherever
the shot had come from, whoever had
fired it, his concealment was no longer
possible. There must be no hesitancy,
no delay He stepped across the mo-
tionless body, with weapon flung grim
ly forward.
Hands up, joel Put them up first
before you turn around. Stop that I!
Don't try any tricks on me. Now
stand there-Olga"
Eyes"
"Take that gun out of his hands
there is another in his belt; get that
also. That's right; now come over
here; you understand firearms"
Eyes. of course" wonderingly, 81
know how to shoot"
81 imagined so Calkins would have
taught you. Keep this fellow covered,
and let him have it if he makes any
effort to break away. W2tGlk him
closely. while~T r4ps@up.-<r7 n Z Hs9dI1kets,
and tie him up" e.
pointed at Laud's hea the fellow
cursing, with hands ur his angry
eyes following every movement. He
was desperate, maddened by sudden
helplessness, with the sneaking feroci-
ty of a wolf, yet was temporarily held
motionless by the deadly peril Shell
by stripped the ragged blanket from
off the dead bodies under the bench,
and began hastily to rip it apart.
The black, boated face of Slagin
stared upward, and Indian Joe saw 1t
for the first time, sudden spasm of
terror causing him to burst forth:
my God! That's Hank Slagin!"
"Sure it is; he got his, an you'll get
yours if you drop those hands, you
cur. Turn around now, and stop"
Laud obeyed, his face ugly and
threatening, and Shelby took step
closer, the strip of blanket in his
hands, his revolver thrust back into
his belt. What Indian Joe saw will
never be known perhaps a slight
wavering in the eyes of the girl, per-
hans an instant lowering of her gun.
But II was enough. All his hate and
treachery drove him to desperate
chance. With the maddened leap of
a wild beast, he sprang upon Shelby,
yripped him fiercely by the throat,
sind the two went headlong to the
floor. Olga fired, but without AIM
missing them both, and dare not pull
the trigger again, so tightly were the
men grapped, as they rolled back and
forth In frenzied effort to obtain mas
terry, Shelby, taken completely by
SUNRISE. was at disadvantage, his
throat crushed by sinewy hands, MS
loosened revolver flung half across enc
room. He could only struggle to
break the hold of his antagonist, roll
ing over and over, and forcing the fell
lows head back with every ounce OF
strength he could bring into play.
They were not unevenly matched, the
two-Shelby the younger, and perhaps
the stronger; but Laud skilled hght-
err, hard as nails, and ready to resort
to any trick. Moreover, he knew what
he had set out to accomplish, ana
bent every effort to prevent the fright
ened girl from getting shot at him.
He hung on, his straining hands, IKE
a wise. twisting tighter and tighter
Shplby's shirt band, careless of any In
Jury to himself so that he kept. the
body of the latter in protection be-
tween him and Olga's revolver YET
with every move, every strainine
whirl of their bodies, he gained an
inch nearer the open door. He fought
like an animal sinking his teeth into
e,t tt...,o aoeb ond driving his knees