The Clio messenger., 1921-07-14

so?"
"You shot the wrong man?"
"Si, senior. Senior Macklin, he step
forward quick just when / fire; he
drop an ! run"
Shelby felt Olga grip him and heard
her voice at his ear.
"She never heard what Macklin said
don't let her know"
He crushed the question already on
his lips back into his throat
"Yes," Shelby said: 81 see how II
happened, now. And what did you do
then, Pancha?'
She was not sobbing, but her quick
breathing gave the impression in the
darkness.
"What I do, senior? / pray the vir-
gin that ! may save heem. Then !
remember this passage from the ravine.
How know eet? Juan and i, we live
in the month; twas then /
found ~ was underneath when
you fought, senior; then, when you
were both outside got heem-"
"MacklIn, you mean? He was
alve?"
"Yes, senior, alive. Maybe he live,
maybe he die; ! know not. do what
l can. Eet took long time; even I
carried heem alone"
"But how did you get across that
cave-in of earth?"
"Eet was not there; eet come lat
err" she explained. II would go back,
senior, when they fred the cabin but
the earth had caved and / could not
get through"
ITO help usr
ISL, senior; to help you and me.
What could I do alone? That is why
| tell you; why / talk. Eet is not
for you, nor for me. l would save
heem an only can eet be done if I
have help. ] do all l can-Madre de
Dios, yes. But how l get heem out,
senor"
"But why not call the others7"
Shelby asked suddenly in suspicion.
"what danger is Macklin in?"
"You know not?" in surprise. 1.-THE
Indian boy tell me-he an Hanley.
They plan eet all out. Twas because
| Juan would not be one of them they
keel heem. They would hold her for
ransom; they say man comes soon
here who would pay much; so they try
to PVT out of the way senor MacklIn.
'Tis to get her that Slagin go to the
cabin; he fail, and then Senor Laud
| try another way. He not know when
he come that Senor Macklin get back
| No one know"
Shelby smothered an oath; the
whole foul plot suddenly revealed to
| him in all its hideousness. This then
was what these fiends had been plan
ming; 1t was plot within plot; crimi-
nal against criminal. He was blind
| not to have perceived the truth be-
| fore; now Ii stood before him in all
| its sheer nakedness. Macklin's drunk
| en- boast had brought forth its full
| brood; Hanley, too brainless and
cowardly to lead, had told all he knew
! TO Indian Joe-embellished II, no doubt
and It was just the sort Of thing
the latter was eager TO get his hands
into-seemingly a safe game, with a
| good stake. Shelby reached out and
drew Olga closer to him in the dark
ness.
II understand, now" he said terse-
ly. "Weve got to fight this out to-
| gether. All right, I'm ready. What
| is 1t you want me to do? Can Mack
| lin walk?'
mo, senor; think maybe he vera
bad off; he not speak now for long
time. Maybe you tell what we do for
! heem."
| 'Tm afraid not, Pancha. I've doc
tored some wounds, but I'm no expert.
Where is he? Oh, here"
He bent down in the dark and
touched the motionless figure. His fin
gers sought the mans pulse, which
showed weak but rapid.
"Where was the woundT
| I'm the right chest, senor"
! And you have dressed and band
aged it?"
| "Yes, senior; the best I could. I
tore up my undersklrt."
do you know If he bled much?"
"Not since / found heem-no; eet
was very little. You think maybe he
live, senor?"
II am unable to answer that. Pan.
cha" he replied soberly, rising TO his
feet. "The man is evidently hard hit,
weak from loss Of blood and In q
coma now from fever. This is no
place for him. If we could get him
out into the open, bandage his wound
properly and get doctor for the ball
he might have fair chance. / can
say no more than that"
"A DOCTOR Where would there be
a doctor?"
II know Of none this side of Ger
lasche; an army surgeon Is at the
camp there no doubt he would come"
"Gerlasche And-and he could save
heem, senor?"