The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-03-09

gers tOucnlnB BnaStIy scalp WOuHus
the clotted blood mating his hair. He
had been Struck desperate blow, and
was doubtless left lying there In the
belief that he was dead. yet apparent
ly the skull was not crushed, and the
night air had CONCEALED the blood.
With supreme effort he drew him
self into sitting posture, and stared
rather blankly about at the objects re-
veuled In the grny dawn.
The sight as Instantly restored his
memory; the cabin door stood wide
open. just rs he left 1t. and within the
lamp still burned on the table, In the
midst Of the dirtled dishes. She had
not returned, then; he had been lying
there alone nll night. The realization
maddened him to effort. and. by grasp
Ing at the door for support he attained
his feet, and stood there for a mo-
ment. swnying dizzily. Exactly what
had occurred lie could not determine;
the whole affair seemed more like a
dream than Il reality. He had left her
there apparently cheerful and happy,
the laughter in her eyes a memory to
linger with him; he had not been alb
sent to exceed thirty minutes, and not
so far away but what my cry would
surely have reached his ears. Yet
whcns he returned she had vanished
utterly leaving everything untouched.
Whatever occurred must have been
brought to pnss almost Immediately
upon his departure, before she even
began the work of cleaning up. But
how could such a thing happen with
oht any alarm? Why. the Kid was
working within ten feet of the house,
and must have heard the slightest
sound of struggle The Kid where
was he anyway? What had become Of
the fellow oil this time? He was no.
where in sight when Shelby retraced
his steps up the path. Could it 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; it bore no
resemblance to a savage raid. The
questions were unanswerable; no
mental effort gave him any clue, yet
his strength was rapidly coming back,
and with 1t 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 finding
none. Everything remained precisely
as he remembered seeing it the night
before. He blew out the light, took
down one of the rifles from the wall.
loaded it, and then. feeling his old
strength returning. cautiously stepped
out through the front door. Tho buck
board stood there. gaunt and stripped.
except for the box between the rear
wheels. He peered into this. and
found it still half filed with bundles
Macklin had not completed his job
other evidence being furnished by the
extinguished and overturned lantern
on the ground just beyond. But there
was no sign visible of any struggle.
Surely she had not left of her OWN
choice. That was unthinkable. She
had appeared cheerful and contented.
even actually Interested in the new
life; besides. if she possessed the
slightest desire to escape. he had Of
fered her every opportunity on the
! way out. and she had refused. Surely
she would never have come way out
there to make her disagreeable jour-
ney over again at night. Even if crazy
nnnnOh for Cnnh q thu nffnrf
would never he made upon foot, and
all three ponies were in the corral; he
had seen them while coming down.
No. that theory might be dismissed at
once, and secretly he was glad 1t was
so easily disposed Oft had vaguely
haunted him at first. causing him to
dread the discovery that it might be
true.
Then what was true? Who could be
guilty Of such an outrage? Indians?
White outlaws? Joe Macklin? These
three possibilities alone remained, but
the first two seemed quite impossible.
He was used to Indian foray, but this
act bore no resemblance to the work
of savages on the warpath. There had
been no attempt to plumber. or de-
stroy. The very fact that the ponies
remained undisturbed convinced him
that this was no deed of Indian raid
ers. That it might have been white outs
laws was not quite so easily dis
missed. There were desperate men
hiding out yonder In the Bad Lands.
but he never had known of their ven.
turing to attack any settler. except oc-
casionally to run Off cattle on the
range. In this case there was no APP
parent object-they had taken moth
ing. neither food nor stock. Then 1t
must have been Macklin.
His sudden disappearance was. at
least. proof he must have had hand
ir 1t. But why? TO what end? Shelby
straightene3gMp. new flash of intel
ligence In his eyes. Perhaps this all
harked back to that early mystery in
her life. She had told him that Cal
kins had taken her from place 10
place. apparently always afraid that