The Raymer enterprise., 1921-07-21
You went 10 pone. for .h.. pur.

/ '~ . A~1 NooJ O0AAAs N00tA1 0OS
next the girl at all. reckon che
never left the shack; but ! got look
at her. an 1t wasn't no trouble to pick
up an acquaintance with Old Dad. He
was dght-mouthed, though. drunk or
sober, an finally had to throw the
fear Of God into him to make him
SPILL"
You mean you threatened himT
yep! never supposed 1t would
shake the CUTS out Of him the way II
did. though. The old fool went plum
batty when told him what I knowed.
He thought was after hIm-a detec-
tive, or something-an' he Just crum-
bled up. without maxim no fight at all.
l reckon he'd been hidin' her so long,
he Just naturally got It into his nut
he was guilty Of some crime. Enyhow.
the next thing I knowed. he'd gone out
back Of the dance hall an shot him
self"
he stopped, shaken by q paroxysm
Of coughing. Shelby held him tightly.
and finally this passed away. the man
resting weakly on. his arms. but with
mind evidently wandering.
Il used to talk all right" he whis-
pered hoarsely. gasping for breath.
AN I could warbls some. too. Say.
did you ever hear me singY
Yes, Kid. I've heard you"
"Sure, you did. Everybody said I
had q wonderful voice. Trouble with
me u ] never amt had no show. II
could'er got started In opera, I'd
never been out ysfe getting plugged
BY no Mex woman. It's hell. Amt TT
But, say; where was I, enyhowr'
"You Just explained why Calkins
killed himself"
"Oh, yea that's It Well. o course
felt bad about the OIL man, but II
wasn't no fault O mine. Then II
seemed like his shu1iin' OF put the
cards right In my hands. II sure
proved she was the girl an now she
was left plum alone. 1t didn't look no
awful hard Job for me to shine up an
marry her. before enybody else got
wise. Say. had 1t all figured out when
you an Dan Mccarthy horned In on
that fool stunt of yours, an knocked
my game galley-west. Then | cottoned
onto that Job with you. didn't aim
to stay out there punchin' steers, but
just thought I'd see how things turned
out. sorter figured It this way-the
girl she didn't care nothin' for you:
she just married yer ter get out er
there, an hav' some place ter live; an
maybe, out there on the Cottonwood !
could make love to her. an some day
we'd skip out together. That's as far
as l went at furst, an goin' out over
them prairies. l got II into my head
that she didn't have no objection to q
little Irritation. l was feelin' quits
foxy about II when We got to the
ranch"
The lashes dropped low over Olga's
eyes, and her cheeks burned.
Then / reckon the devil must er
took charge O. the game, fer the min
ute was left alone out there run
into bunch O. Indian cattle thieves.
knew two Of 'em for they were out
Of the Hole here, an all at onct, 1t
struck me I might Just as well have
the Job over with. took 1t she didn't
care about you, an that little strong
arm stuff would pan out all right It
works with most women. didn't
have no notion then Of humping you
of, Shelby. but the buck who took that
job cracked you good an hard. Well.
that makes the whole story. don't itf
He shut his eyes, his head falling
back In complete exhaustion. Only his
labored breathing proved that Mack.
lin still lived. Olga held him motion.
less In her lap, bending over and soft.
ly smoothing back his hair with one
hand. Shelby left them there, creep
Ing out through the entrance onto the
rock platform without.
1t had ceased showing, but enough
had fallen to cover the bluff with .
white mantle, obliterating the trail,
and leaving the valley below covered.
The sky arched over all dull and gray.
Shelby hung out over the ledge,
watchfully studying the view out
spread beneath. II was q peaceful
scene enough. with scarcely moving
figure visible. he could hardly real
ize that this was the haunt Of out.
laws where only a few hours before
he had been desperately struggling for
life. The daylight revealed no sign
Of disorder or pursuit, the only re-
minder Of what had occurred being
the blackened ruins Of the burned
cabin almost directly below. Yet
this was deserted and the snow
about appeared untrampled. The
sight gave him hope. yet he felt
strangely depressed and unnerved.
The remembrance Of the scene Just
witnessed could not be cast Of.
He had no reason to question the
truth Of that occasion and It had
Impressed him strongly. Macklin was
evidently dying; was already beyond
help. Any breath might prove to be
his last, and It was even then too late
for any doctor to save him. But would
Panchc return In time to assist themi
Would she bring sufficient help with