Licking Valley courier., 1921-03-10
1t was gray dawU whes Shelby

II was gray dawn whes Shelby
THe sight as Instantly restored his
memory; the cabin door stood wide
open. just as he left 1t, and within the
lamp still burned on the table, in the
midst Of the dirtied dishes. She had
not returned, then; he had been lying
there alone all night. The realization
maddened him TO effort, and, by grasp
ing at the door for support he attained
his feet, and stood there for mo-
ment. swaying dizzily. Exactly what
had occurred he could not determine;
the whole affair seemed more like a
dream than reality. He had left her
there apparently cheerful and happy,
the laughter in her eyes memory to
linger with him; he had not been ab-
sent to exceed thirty minutes, and not
so far away but what any cry would
surely have reached his ears. Yet
when he returned she had vanished
utterly, leaving everything untouched.
Whatever occurred must have been
brought to pass almost Immediately
upon his departure, before she even
began the work of cleaning up. But
how could such thing happen With
out any alarm? Why, the Kid was
working within ten feet Of the house,
and must have heard the slightest
ssntfn1 90 tsfVt fl'lfn XII a. slApn
was he anyway? What had become Of
the fellow all this time? He was no
where in sight when Shelby retrnced
his steps up the path. Could II be
that the Kid was the one guilty Of this
deed? If so, what was his object?
Not robbery, surely, for the place had
not been ransacked, or anything re.
moved from his pockets. Yet surely
this was not Indian work; II bore 70
resemblance to n savage raid. The
questions were unanswCrahle; no
mental effort gave him any clue, YET
his strength was rapidly coming back
and with II a grim, determined anger
which urged him into action.
First he went through the deserted
house, room by room, seeking for the
slightest sign OF guidance, but iiudin'
none, Everything remained precisely
as he remembered seeing II the nigh.
before. He blew out the Hight, took
down one OF the rifles from the wall
lOnded II, and then, feeling his old
strength returning, cautiously stepped
out through the from door. The buck
board stood there guunt aud stripped
except for the box between the re0I
wheels, He pccred into this, and
found II stlll half filled with bundles
Mackln had not completed his job
other evidence helng furnished by th,
extlngulshed and overturned lantern
on the ground just beyond Blu, thcr,
WIS 40 sign visible OF any struggle,
Surely she had not left Of bcr owl
choice, That was unlhmGmble. Sh,
had appeared cheerful and contented
even actually Interested IN lhc new
life, besides, Il she possessed th,
slightest desire to escape, he had Of
fered her every opportunity ON tn,
way out, and she had refused. Surcl!
she would never have come way ou
there to make her disagreeahle Jour
ney over again at night, t.Ven II crnz!
enough ror such 40 attempt, the efor
would ncvee he made upon foot, ant
MI three ponies were In the corral h,
had seen them while coming down
No. that theory might he dismissed II
once, and secretly he Was glad It wa
so easily disposed Oft had vnguel!
haunted him at first. causing him {,
, dread the discovery that It might b,
true.
Then what WIS UUcr Who could b,
guilty Of such nm outlWgcg Indians
White outlawsy Joe Mucklm2 Thes
three possibilities alone remained, hu
! the first two seemed quite impossible
He was used to haitian foray, hut thi
| nat Inu. ~, NONCOMPLIANCE, 4. tk.. ,,....I