Cavalier County farmers press. (Langdon, N.D.) 1920-1921, 1921-01-20

Ihere was a window high up, but
seemingly too small for the passage of
his body, vet a slight CLEAN of star
light found it's way through the open.
ing. which was further barred by two
stout wooden stakes. He stepped ST.
lently across and tested them, finding
them solidly embedded in the logs. He
felt his way cautiously about the room,
which was of small dimensions, con.
tanning only a Single stool, and a cot;
the floor was puncheon and the walls
of log, heavily Mastered with mud.
The place offered apparently no op-
portunity for escape, and Shelby sat
down On the edge of the cot discour-
aged.
He could distinguish the voices Of
the three without plainly enough to
determine who was speaking, but their
words were indistinguishable. Then
the murmur finally ceased, and he
thought one of the men had left the
house, perhaps both, yet that was
hardly likely. Someone remained GER
tainly, for there was movement, and
the sound of feet, mingled with the
clink Of dishes. Pamela was evidently
clearing off the table. His thought
centered on her. Had he made a mis-
take in thus suddenly confiding his
true story to her ears? Yet, so far as
he knew, she had said nothing to in
,jure him, and had made no effort to
reveal his secret. Indeed her actions
had rather expressed fear of Laud,
and a certain sympathy for him sure
ly that was what he had read in the
depths of her eyes. Yet how could
this be accounted for? She must GER
tainly be one with these others;
brought up probably from childhood
in the atmosphere of crime, and GER
ta1nly loyal to her brother, if nothing
else. What then could possibly inf1u-
ence her to show him the slightest
consideration?
He sat with head in his hands. en-
deavoring to solve the mystery, and,
OUT from the dark, a possible explana-
ton flashed into his mind-Macklin.
any relation she might have
with this fellow account for a desire
to wish his escape alive? 1t might:
the fact that he was already the hus-
band of the woman MackIin planned
to marry would quite naturally ex-
plain the entire situation under GER
tain conditions. IF that rascal had
made love to her. and now deliberate
IV ntQnna6 RI Ancnrf hon F1~ ,-olIo-
the Spanish blood would account for
all the rest. By heaven; that must
be it! He recalled the insistence Of
ne questioning; the flash Of her eyes,
the threatening CLEAN of her white
teeth. Unconsciously he had touched
the secret spring, and Embossed the IT,
ger. Jealousy was the weapon-a love
turned to hate, the fury Of a woman
scorned. To get Olga out Of her path
forever, she would risk anything, dare
anything. Here then, was his one and
only chance.
But could the girl serve him, even If
she desired to do so? He realized
the seriousness of his position; his
helplessness without some outside aid.
He had been a blind fool to venture
into this den alone; and even a blind
er foo to claim friendship with Han
ley. The morning would find him COM
pletely exposed. and he had little
doubt what form vengeance would as
sumo at the hands Of these men. He
was like a condemned man in his cell
waiting helplessly for the certain hour
of execution. Worse than that, even;
for his fate must inevitably seal also
the fate Of his wife. Her only chance
of rescue lay in his efforts, and he
was helpless. There was not a thing
he could do; yet he tried again and
again desperately, testing the punch
cons Of the floor, block by block, dig
ging at the dried mud between the
logs Of the wall endeavoring to gain
some leverage upon the hinges Of the
door, and tugging once again furious
ly at those wooden stakes protecting
the narrow window. His fingers b1ed
from the frantic effort to thus loosen
something, to yield him an opportuni-
ty to really exert his strength. These
efforts were utterly useless; there was
not a spot of weakness to be discov-
cred. If the place had been originally
constructed as a prison it could not
have been more securely built. Men
tally and physically exhausted, he
flung himself upon the floor, and lay
there, q%uivering from head to foot,
with nerves completely shattered.
The silence became CHASTITY; any
sound would have been a relief. There
was no n moving about ever in thar
other. roop. and the door between fitted
too closely for him to perceive any
CLEAN of light. He listened intently.
holding his breath. but his head sank
back once more in detection. Why in
Gods name hadn't he fought it out
like a man? Why had he ever permit.
ted himself to be thus caught like a
trapped rat? The frenzy of disgust he
felt caused him to sit up and stare
once more at the single star shining
through the window. What was that?
A ho1np . - ,,,.o1 W o,.,o&hs~ 49,