The St. Johns herald., 1921-07-14

ently had lived there for many year. Still, now he dad ventured so much, 1t might be well to take a look inside. Assuredly no harm could be done by his searching the rooms, and this would require only moment or two.
 He drew himself up into the weeds, and wiggIed his way forward until he obtained a full view of the door. It was tightly closed, but unguarded without. Indeed his search revealed no sign that the hut had been visited for months, until he came within yard or two of the long step before the entrance; then he suddenly en- countered footprints in the softer ground, and was able to distinguish where some one-more than one, he thought-had pushed passage through the surrounding tangle of weeds. He studied these signs intent ly, yet discerned nothing resembling a woman's shoe. The moccasin-shod feet, however, had passed over the ground again and egain, and he even believed, one, and perhaps more, of the wearers had sat on the doorstep impatiently stamping their feet. To his judgment the place had indeed been under guard, and that recently the marks were comparatively fresh and cleancut, as though made within a few hours.
 Then, in all probability, this had been the prison where his wife was held. He had stumbled upon it. Here, undoubtedly, was the very spot where she had been confined under guard during the past night, yet she certain ly was not there now. The deserted appearance of the place was proof positive that she had been taken else where. Voices sounded off toward the broader expanse of valley, but too far away to present danger; even as he stood cautiously up, and looked out over the tops of the weeds he could see nothing to create alarm. He was alone, unseen, unsuspected, and yield ed to the desire to learn what was within the hut. She might have left some message, some sign of her pres ence, which would prove 6 clue.
 The outer door was secured merely by a wooden latch. and opened easily to his touch. Afraid lest some un- known eye might mark his movements, Shelby glided quickly in through the narrow opening, and instantly pressed the door shut behind him. He was in almost total darkness, the only light l An6inr hot hn fIl- -f1fffn O boards at the single window. He felt his way blindly across the room, guided by this dim ray, and, discover ing one of the boards somewhat loOsened, managed to wrench 1t free, thus permitting the gray daylight to gain entrance. This gave him dim view of the interior, a nearly square room, inexpressibly dirty, and without furniture, except a rough bench thrust back against one wall.
 1 Straight across from where he stood some black object lay upon the floor, so indistinct in its outlines he could not. in that faint light, determine what it might be-a pile of rags, per
 haps, or a shapeless heap of rubbish
 He stepped forward, curious to learn
 its nature, yet stopped suddenly, star
 ing down in speeches. horror. He was
 beside the bodies of two men. both
 dead, gripped together, stiffened if the very attitude with which deatt
 had overtaken them. They had died fighting like wild dogs, and theiI strange posture told the whole story Shelby, crushing back the dread hC felt, tried to part them, but the stiff
 fened limbs would not yield. One wal , a white man, the other an Indian, tht latter shot through the chest, the for mer apparently choked to death, thC rigid red fingers of his antagonist stil
 clutching his throat. Beyond on th' floor lay a revolver and a knife.
 Shelby stared at the gruesome scene unable to remove his gaze. In tht a dim light the features of the two mel were almost unrecognizable. Wha a had caused this tragedy2 this ferc P death grapple? He could only con lecture from what little he knew o f the circumstances. Beyond doubt on P of these antagonists would be tn z guard whom Macklin had left t a watch over his captive while he de l parted. But the other2 Some on
 who sought entrance probably; som q one endeavoring to reach the woman : either inspired by good or evil intent l. Yet 1ich was the guard? which tn s invader2 Those who had accompanie f the Kid at the ranch were all Indiani s and it was therefore most likely that