Gunnison news-champion., 1921-01-21

trN--lou o. Tie faces % tF-- t-o-
You boys wash mp there IN the
sink she commanded: use that piece
q sackins for a towel: 81 vas all
could End Then vel E-i busy
II Shelby Nss 10 live e thousand
years BE- would never lose memory %
that meal The grateful warmth Of
tie stove. the hsatnsss of the table.
the good fellowship with which she
served all coupled with the wonder
,ui surprise, left upon him an IN.
preston never aftsraari 70 be blottej
ont She talked rbout uhnf she was
going 10 do: about what be had pur.
chased 10 town about anything which
came into her mind that she ccald
manufacture conversation from tie
told Of their arssutuTe- outside. and
made her laugh heartily over the
struggle Of getting the EIf's pony
srf-ly mo the corral rhr Eld him
self said little. eating heartily but in
silence. only occaslUuaIfy lifting his
Eyes from the plate This prerenss at
rlofcsfy I'D not seem Ike the kld
and shelby found himself observing
the fellow with some wUndsrmsut His
looks were not At all prrp1ssessins.
now that be saw him more plainly re-
ysalei In the lHmplighr and he was
Some yenrs Older than he had sup
posed The fellow had hard dlssi-
pn'si face. and hfs Iips were thin.
EIrh distinctly cruel twist 10 them
shelby had Intended putting ~. man
IN that bunk In the front room. hu'
now decided the stable was good
enough ;1r bis use.
A. soon uS they were through he
hu-'"Tt - : second lantern.
Take the rest of thar s'uT oT The
huckb0ar1, Marklin.' he said shortly
and stow Il away 10 the cel'ar-ravr
Just TO tho right Of the house. III be
out presently. an we1l h1 things Or
'or the night"
A. the fellow disappeared Sh"'hy's
eyes encountered those o. bis wife
scross the table
And what nre you going TO dof-
she asked directly.
why. help you with these things
and then clean the shack up bit; II
4 In worse Shaps Than realized"
She shook her head positively.
"Oh. no. misier man. This Is my
house, and | am going TO take care ~
It-rlI alone. have seen your siyie
of housekeeping, and prefer my own.
You 30 on. and finish the work out
side; when you come back II will look
better In here"
Shelby went out. Macklln wns seem
lngiy busy nf the task assigned him.
the lantern hung to the broken branch
pf n convenient tree. lighting his path.
without even speaking. the ranchman
passed by down the steep path leading
toward the stream below He was
some time In completing his task. and
when he finally emerged once more
from the stable the only CLEAN OF
light he could perceive above came
through the log chinks Of the cabin.
He wondered what had become OF
Mnckiin. yet gave the matter no spe-
rini thought n he t0lled slowly ~ the
path. his mind more deeply Interested
IN the reception awaiting him within
llH IhH-Ea2 fibNt fUtGEtl 10 tilt tDtk-
board 10 assure himself that his or
iers bad been executed. and. bpIIcy.
Ing the fellow had probably re.enierrd
The house ts- some purpose. passed On
directly 10 the front door. No one
was in the main room. nor In the
chamber behind. They remained eI-
nctly rs he had left them. The silence
startled him. and he advanced swiftly
toward the kitchen, where The light
still burned visible through the open
door. II also was deserted. the dirty
dishes yet setting on the table IN
touched. Good Godi what was the
meaning OF thIs1 What had occurredi
The outer door stood ntar. and he
sprans nnxiously forward. peering In
to the hlackuess. There was no sound.
no movement; the blaze OF light had
blinded him. and he stepped outside
80 hs TO see better. He had taken but
one step beyond the protection Of the
partially open door when something