The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1921-01-22

swell, by God! you better be. |e'
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 a step for
ward, single shot rang out sharply.
He saw Macklin 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 hack instant
ly to the protection of the wall, anu
gun in hand, crOuched there with
eyes fixed on the broken window Op-
pOSite. Shelby was swift to take ad-
vantage of his surprise. Wherever
the shot had come from, whoever had
fired II. his conccalment was no longer
possible. There must be no heSitancy,
no delay. He stepped across the mo-
tiOnless body, with weapon flung grim
iy forward.
Hands up, Joe! Put them up first
before you turn around. Stop that
Dent try any tricks on me. Now
stand there-Olga."
Eyes"
Take that gun out of his hand :;
there is another in his belt; get that
also. That's right; now come over
here; you understand firearms"
"Yes, of course" wonderingly, II
know how to shoot"
II imagined so; CaIkins would have
taught you. Keep this fellow covered,
and let him have it If he makes any
effort to break away. Watch him
closely, while l rip up that blanket,
and tie him up"
He left her with the gun steadily
pointed at Lauds head, the fellow
cursing. with hands up, 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, bloated face of Slagin
stared upward, and Indian Joe saw ii
for the first time, a 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 a 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-
haps an instant lowering of her gun.
But il was enough. All his hate and
treachery drove him to desperate
chance. With the madGened leap Of
q wild beast, he sprang upon Shelby,
gripped him tiercely by the throat,
end the two went headlong 10 the
floor. Olga fired, but without aim.
missing them both, and dare not pull
the trigger again. so tightly were the
men grappled. as they rolled back and
forth in frenzied effort to obtain mas
terry. Shelby, taken completely by
surprise, was at a disadvantage, his
throat crushed by sinewy hands, his
lOosened revolver flung half across the
room. He could only struggle to
break the hold of his antagonist. roll
ing over and over, and forcing the fel-
lows head back with every ounce Of
strength he could bring into play.
They were not uneveniy matched, the
two-Shelby the younger, and perhaps
the stronger; but Laud q skilled fight
er, hard as nails, and ready to resort
to any trick. Moreover, he knew what
he had set out to accomplish, and
bent every effort to prevent the fright
ened girl from getting a shot at him.
He hung on, his straining hands, like
a wise. twisting tighter and tighter
Shelby'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 straining
whirl of their bodies, he gained an
inch nearer the open door. He fought
like an animal. sinking his teeth into
Shelby's flesh. and driving his knees
into his body. 1t was silent, bitter
fighting, every muscle strained to the
utmost, and the squaw man won. They
knocked over the bench, and crashed
out through the partially open door,
rolling down the single step into the
weeds. Laud landed on top. his fin
gers still clutched on Shelby's throat.
the latter half unconscious. Crazed,
maddened as he was. the one desire
TO escape overcame his eagerness TO
kill. and Indian Joe, cursing, struck
once at the upturned face, leaped to
his feet and plunged into the shelter
of the weeds. Shelby. gasping pain
fully for breath. scarcely yet fuzzy
realizing what had occurred. lay mo-
tionless but for the quivering of his
limbs.
Indeed. ne had scarcely forced open
his eyes when Olga was beside him.
"You-you are alive? He did not
kill your
Il TO i'm