The Raymer enterprise., 1921-07-07
CHAPTER XII.
Tho Attack on the Cabin.

There was no sound from without,
except occasionally the echo Of a dis
tant voice shouting. Shelby, startled
BY these words and alarmed by her
agitation, swiftly crossed the room.
The body was gone. actually gone! As
he bent over. incredulous, distrusting
the evidence Of his own eyes, he could
perceive the stain Of blood in which
the man had fallen. but that was all.
There was no semblance Of a body
there.
Judas Priest!" he said soberly.
This beats anything ever 1 saw. He
couldn't have been killed, hut never
saw him twitch q musclA after he
dropped. Gone! Darn II know what
to make Of 1t. Why. where could he
have gone to? There amt but one way
out from this shack an he sure didn't
60 out there"
mo. he couldn't" her voice quaver.
ing. ave would have seen him II he
had"
"Seen himi OF course. we would.
He must have revived and crawled
away. You bet. there amt no mystery
about It. Dead men amt movIn'
around an there amt no angels comm
down to carry that cuss of. What's
happened Ia he got back strength
enough to crawl. Likely he got into
hat back room out O sight. Any.
how I'm goin' to find out what's hap.
pened. You keep an eye at that hole
In the wall yonder. while scout around
a minute. II you see anything movin'
in shootin' distance. just blaze away.
Don't hesitate a moment"
She went forward as he told her
without a word and stared out, yet
nervously turning her head abont at
the slightest sound Shelby waited
moment, listening. and then stepped
confidently forward across the thresh.
old Of the inner door. He had no
doubt that he would discover Macklin
dead or alive, outstretched on the
noor. The fellow must be there; he
could have gone nowhere else. The
place was as black as night; a step
beyond the entrance and he had to
grope his way bllndly. unable to dis
tinguish single object. There was
something grim and CHASTITY in feeling
about with his feet for an unseen body.
Then the fellow might still be alive,
even dangerous. He stopped at the
disquieting thought and spoke sharply
into the gloom.
"Are you there, Macklin? Come,
speak up; nobody is going to hurt
you"
There was no response. no move
ment, no sound Of groan. no pulslng
Of breath. The stiffness was intense,
horrible. Shelby gripped himself and
began to advance slowly. guiding his
passage along the wall. expecting ev.
cry instant to encounter some obsta.
Gle. His cropping feet touched nothing.
Inch by inch he explored the floor OF
the room, the perspiratlon beginning
to stand In drops on his forehead.
There was no body lying there no
form Of man, either living or dead;
the place was absolutely unoccupIed.
He could hardly believe this true; his
mind refused to grasp the fact: he
came back to the door dazed and un.
nerved All nature. all reasoning told
him the man must be somewhere with
In the cabin: any other thought was
simply impossible; yet where? He had
already explored every inch Of surface
to no result. So bewildered and dunn
founded was he before this mystery
that he was even startled at the girls
voice asking an eager question.
'Is he there? Did you find himl"
"No; he's gone as though he had
a pair Of wings" --
"But how could he get outr'
"That's what l say. Everything is
solid; no human could vanish through
these walls; there isn't q window not
boarded up and only that one door.
We wasn't outside ten minutes, nor
ten feet away from the step. A rat
couldn't have passed without bein'
seen. Blamed Il It don't make me
shiver. for. by thunder. however It
happened. he amt here; he ain't no.
where In this cabin. An" he added.
peering at the floor. "there amt no
trail O. blood to show that he crawled
away; just that little pool what he
laid In"
Gould he have got through the roof,
or the fioor?"
Shelby laughed despondently.
Lord. don't easily see how he
could; It's fifteen feet to them rafters
an no opening, while. judging from
outside. the flsor must rest plum on
the ground. Who shot him. anyhow
Did you see?"
"Yes, ! did, she explained excitedly.
" was looking that way, toward where
The board was ripped of the window.
I Just had glimpse Of face behind
the muzzle Of the gun. It was a won.
an; am sure 1t was a woman. with
black eyes. Then the smoke obscured
everything and she was gone"
"She must have been Pancha," he
admitted. struggling with the idea.
"Why, ,of course, that's all plain
enough. She overheard what he said
and fred In mad passion"
"Whaf do you mean? What are Won