The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1921-01-01
CHAPTER TX.
The Love of a Woman.


the wall. her face white, her eyes
staring toward him, and that Juan
was leaning forward across the table.
with cleaning teeth exposed. He was
calm enough himself. however, for he
had imagined this unpleasant discOv
cry might he made and was not en-
tirely unprepared to meet 1t.
"What brandt" he asked cOOlly.
"YOu mean the Three Stars?"
THAT'S exactly what mean, pard-
ner. l happen to know where that
hronc COM from"
''Then you know more than do,
Laud. | bought the pony from liv-
cry man at GerlaSche TO ride out here
on: some bucker. at that. Say. come
TO think about II. those cows you were
driving in were Three Stars"
THAT Is Just what they were. most
o. them. That's what struck me as
d-n funny. Those cattle com from
up on the Cottonwood: they belonged
to n Teller named Shelby"
You run 'em OFF,"
THAT'S none o. your d--n business.
/ That's where they came from. an
| Shelhy's dead. But what I'm inter-
ested in is how the HI you got his
| horse"
He dropped his gun down on the
| table and stared across into Shelby's
| imperturbabIe face with hard, threat
ening eyes.
"Now you look here, young fellow.
you know who am. reckon. It's
be yer all right an maybe yer amt;
only / don't take no chances. Your
J story amt sounded just right to me
from the start. but I'll give yer a
chance TO prove it. l amt goin' ter
plug you now: not If yer've got sense
enough TO behave yerseIf. Tomorrow
I'll see what Matt Hanley has to say.
but till that time we're gOin' to he lock-
ed up. Coin ter make any row over
that programs?
mot the least"
"All right, then. Juan, you take the
gents gun; he's better off without 1t.
That's right; now feel him over an
see If he's got any other weapons.
Better stand up. Churchill"
The ranchman. cOmprehending the
utter futility of any attempt at resist
ance. did as he was told, managing TO
retain the same cool smile on his lips.
The murderOus eyes of the squaw-
man never once deserted his face and
Shelby realized that the slightest symp-
tom of treachery would prove his UNI
doing. Laud was in no mood T. be
argued with.
mice of you to wait until after I'd
eaten" he said easily. ut will give
me a comfortable nights rest"
"Glad you take it that way. Clean
ed him up. have you Juan? Now. how
about that room yonder? Empty, amt
itT'
ISL senor," 1t was Pamela who an
swered. opening the door.
Laud took step forward and
glanced into the apartment. The swift
scrutiny apparently satisfied him, for
, he turned to the prisoner. his revolver
still grasped in readiness for instanr
, action.
"Go on in" he commanded harshly.
"An' tomorrow we'll settle this case.
Shelby walked past him without NJ
, much as a side glance, to all outward
appearance quite at his ease. Laud
closed the door and the prisoner heard
him secure it with a stout wooden
bar He stood there mOtionless. on.
deavorIng TO collect his thoughts
the smile no longer on his lips. adj
justing his eyes to the darkness.
' There was window high up. bui
seemingly too small for the passage ot
I his body. yet slight CLEAN of star
' light found its way through the open
ing, which was further barred by tive
{ stout wooden stakes. He stepped 81
I lently across and tested them. tindin;
: them solidIy embedded In the logs. III
felt his way cautiously ahOut the room
which was of small dimensions con
4 tanning only single stool. and cot
a the floor was puneheon and the wall
5 of log. heavily plastered with mud
!. The place offered apparently no op
i portunity for escape, and Shelby sa
o down on the edge of the cot diScour
n aged
e He could distinguish the voices o
the three without plainly enough 4
determine who was speaking. but thei
d words were indistinguishahle. The
the murlnur finally ceased. and h
thought one of the men he'd left tn
house. perhaps both yet that wa
e hardly likely. Someone remained Gel
tainly. for there was movement an
the sound of feet. mingled with tn
e cIink of dishes. Panchn was evidentI
2. clearing. Off the table. His though
d conferred on her. Had he made mis-
r take in thus suddenly ronfiding hi
r true story to her ears? Yet. so far a
Z he knew, she had said nothing TO IL
IS jure him. and had made no effort I
= reveal his secret. Indeed her action
n had rather expressed fear of Laut
d and certain sympathy for him: SURF
D ~ that was what he had read in III
Z. CloDfi,S of her eyes Ief ht,W cOuI