The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-02-09
CHAPTER Ii.
OUTLINING a Plot,

Of his own. >roomed over his saloon.
but was compelled to edt the Hicks
! brand of cooking. and. with many
apologies therefor, had. on this pnrtIc-
iilnr OCCASION. tie eX-reverend from
BuffhiU Gap as his hOnOred guest.
Shelby saw the two when lie first en-.
tered, over in the farther corner and.
MS there CHANGED to be vacant seat
beside Mccarthy. he made his slightly
iincprtditi why III that direction and
succeeded In safely establishing him
self on the empty bench. The room
was well filled with men, most of them
still discussing the important event OF
the afternoon. and he soon became
aware that the conversation of the two
hext to him bore upon the same sub
jcct.
Shelby stared at the smoking. greasy
mess outspread before Ism, pryins
open soggy biscuit, and asked a
question Of Mccarthy.
How'd the collection come out,
Mac7'
what collection? Oh. for the CURL /;
bout five hundred, want it, reve-
rendr'>
-Four rnety-seven," said the
preacher In his deep voice. quite
an assistance for the young woman
in this time of bereavement, as am
Informed her father left little or no
property" ga
''rroperty! Old Calkins! Well.
should say not, And what's more"
the saloon;keeper becoming Interested.
Il don't see how that moneys goin'
ter do her much good. was just
talkin' ter the dominic we're about her.
Tom, what is she agoin' ter do? An
what he'd this town ought ter do fer
herr"
"What do you mean? They done
enough, amt they, with that swell
funeral an five hundred bucks on top
of it? What more would she expect?"
"She don't expect nuthin'. That
amt her style. l got an idee she
wont even accept this bunch O. coip.
She's the ornariest heifer l ever saw.
But that's got no bearin' on us. She's
an orphan. left yere in Ponca with
no visible means of support. She's
Il decent girl nobody ever said nuth-
in against her. and the way it looks
ter me we so: u moral duty ter per-
form. Amt that it. Reverend?"
"rhat is the thought endeavored
to convey" returned the visitor from
Buffalo Gap seriously. "You heard
me. presume. young man?''
"Only the last few sentences" nd
mitted Shelby. ~ don't belong here.
bul just happened to drift in today"
Toms ranchin' over on the Cotton
wool" interrupted Mccarthy. "but
he's mighty straight guy, an I'd
like ter have him express his feelin's
on this yere idee O. yours, Reverend.
It's rather a new one on me-" *
The preacher Strengthened up and
cleared his throat.
well, here's the case of a young
girl, seventeen or eighteen years old.
who has had no experience whatever
in life, suddenly left an orphan in this
town. without any money or friends,
so to speak. Where can she go? What
can she do? There isn't place she
could earn living here. excepting
the dance hall; there isn't place in
this town she could call home That
Is what ] tried to make clear to Mr..
McCarthy-that the men of this town
ought to give her a chance. Mac here's
Il married man; got wife and two
daughters Of his own back East and
he cottoned to my idea right away"
but what is your idea?"
Marriage. sir-marriage; honorable
matrlmony. even offer my services
freely. srhe girl should be given a
husband and home; this would as
sure her future and relieve Ponca of
every obligation. Do you see, the
point?"
Yes" admitted Shelby. yet rather
dazed at the project, hut there would
seem to he certain obstacles in the
way of such scheme. No doubt you
have considered these. Who. for in
stance. would marry her?"
''rhere isn't likely to be any trouble
about that" confidently. IF she'd fix
up she'd be a right gOodlooting girl,
besides. she's got five hundred dollars
to start with and that's more money
than ii LOT Of these gazabos ever saw
in all their lives. III bet there's fifty
men In Ponca that would jump at the
chance"
"ROunders and tin-horns."
"SOne Of them--sure. But there
would be some decent fellows among
them. That's about how we figured 1t.
Mccarthy"
The saloonkeeper nodded.
"There's quite few of the right
kind round Ponca. Tom, who'd he
mighty glad to get a decent woman
and settle down. ] could name half
dozen right now. What amt SO sure
bout Is the gurl."
'She might object? OF course she
will. and why shouldn't she. You
want to know. what think of the