The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-05-18

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 If 1t don't make me
SILVER, for. by thunder, however 1t
happened, he amt here; lie amt 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 floor?"
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 floor must rest plum on
the ground. Who shot him; anyhow?
Did you sect"
"Yes. I did," she explained excltedly.
II was looking that way, toward where
the board was ripped off the window.
just had a glimpse Of face behind
the muzzle Of the gun. 1t was wOui-
an; am sure It was woman, with
ulack 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 fired In mad passion"
"What do you mean? What are you
talking about? This girl7"
"Sure; told you about her; she
helped me escape last night. She was
crafty jealous over Macklln. She Is
Mexican and is here with her brother /;
n little outlaw. no doubt, knowing no
law but her own passion. She must
have been there when he boosted to
Laud that he would leave her and mar
~ you. 1t drove her crazy and she
shot,"
II can understand that--yes," Olga
burst forth, land later she was sorry.
believe 1t was she who came back
and took the body away"
II hardly see how that theory helps
much. How could she take him?"
perhaps she may know some SC.
cret passage. There might be one un-
J derneath. do not know, yet in what
other way could the body have been
removed?"
Shelby shook his head gloomily, his
eyes searching the floor for any evil
dence and finding none. To all ap
pearances 1t appeared smooth ant
solid.
II don't know" he said. THAT idee
may be as good as any. You nigh,
take this broken knife of mine an
see II you can start anything. VIVA
was goin' on out there?"
"Nothlng much that could see
There are men hiding behind the banl
Of the creek; think they are Indians
and there may be others off to thu
right In the weeds"
Just guard left there to see tina
we don't get away. They'll wait unit
dark and then try to burn us out
l reckon; the bucks don't like M
shooting. That was rife"
"Yes; the bullet struck the log"
He crossed over and looked out anz
iously.
II thought It might be a signal, bu
I guess not. Don't seem to be any
thing moving"
He Strengthened up again, his eye
surveying the room. IF we only ha
two more In this outfit we might Civ
those devils a run for their none.
The trouble Is we can defend onl
two sides, an they know it-anyhov
Laud does. I'm goin' to haul tn
bench over on that side; then you ca
stand up there. and shoot through thu
hole In the window while l pepps
them from here In front. Well max
1t hot while It lasts"
u She watched him shift the benc
, and then stood upon 1t to look on
> The sun had gone down. and the va
e ley swan in purple haze. If 81
would utilize what little light still r
', manned. she must search ut once.
Q) "Nothlng out there2"
" can see nothing moving. 1t
growing dark. Let me take the knife
20 He gave It to her, and she got dow
10 upon her knees on the floor, anxious
~ testing the openings between Il
l. blocks with the broken blade. Shell
turned his head occasionally, bare
able to distinguish her movements, y
u felt little confidence in the success
the effort. Any attempt at esca
through the door would be suicidal;
all probability. In spite Of the silen'
and seeming loneliness of the see
without, a dozen rifles were even til
trained on the entrance, ready
shoot them down the instant eitl
appeared. And there was no otf
way out, unless 1t might be thrOu
some secret passage existing und
ground. Macklin had certainly dist
peared somewhere; the vanishing
his body was no miracle, and t
theory Of how 1t might have been
complished alone appeared reasonat
In spite Of his doubts. the man h
- to a measure Of hope: nothing e
than this remained which he CO.
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