Washington telegraph., 1921-02-25

shot"
u can understand that-yes," Olga
burst forth, land later she was sorry.
| believe It was she who came back
and took the body away"
81 hardly see how that theory helps
much. How could she take hlmY
Perhaps she may know some Sc
cret passage. There might be one I'M
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 evi-
dence and finding none. To all ap-
pearances it appeared smooth and
solid.
Il don't know" he said "That idea
may be as good as any. You might
take this broken knife Of mine an
see II you can start anything What
was goin' on out therer
Nothing much that could see.
There are men hiding behind the banl,
OF the creek; think they are Indians.
and there may be others of to the
right in the weeds"
Just a guard left there to see that
we don't get away. They'll wait until
dark and then try to burn us out.
l reckon; the bucks don't like my
shooting. That was a rifle"
Yes; the bullet struck the log"
He crossed over and looked out anx-
lously.
u thought II might be a signal. but
/ guess not Don't seem to be any
thing moving"
He Strengthened up again, his eyes
surveying the room. "If we only had
two more in this outfit we might give
those devils run for their money.
The trouble is we can defend only
two sides, an they know it-anyhow,
Laud does. I'm goin' to haul this
bench over on that side then you can
stand up there, and shoot through that
hole in the window while / pepper
them from here in front Well make
1t hot while it lasts"
She watched him shift the bench.
and then stood upon 1t to look out.
The sun had gone down. and the val
ley swan in a purple haze. II she
would utilize what little light still re-
manned, she must search at once.
"Nothing out there?"
81 can see nothing moving. 1t is
growing dark. Let me take the knife"
He gave it to her, and she got down
upon her knees on the floor. anxlously
testing the openings between the
blocks with the broken blade. Shelby
turned his head occasionally. barely
able 10 distinguish her movements, vet
felt little confidence in the success Of
the effort. Any attempt at escape
through the door would be suicidal: I'm
all probability, In spite of the silence,
and seeming loneliness of the scene
without, dozen rifles were even then
trained on the entrance, ready to
shoot them down the instant either
appeared. And there was no other
way out, unless It might be through
some secret passage existing under
ground. Macklin had certainly disap-
peared somewhere; the vanishing of
his body was no miracle, and this
theory Of how 1t might have been ac-
complished alone appeared reasonable.
In spite of his doubts, the man held
TO a measure of hope; nothing else
than this remained which he could
cling to; their only chance lay in
some such discovery. Yet the woman.
cropping on her knees I'm the deepen
ing darkness gave no sign of encour-
agement. Shelby could bear the strain
no longer in silence.
There is nothing to he found9' he
asked anxiously, mo appearance of a
trap7"
She lifted her head, with face
turned toward him.
Nothing that seem able to move"
she answered. 81 have found a block
which does not appear to fit as tightly
as the others; | can get the knife
blade between, and II doesn't seem
to touch any earth below, yet the
slab is immovable."
Let me try my strength"
He started back to join her, but at
that instant there came sudden
burst of rifle fire without, bullets
thudding into the cabin walls. the
sound punctuated by savage yells.
Shelby whlrled about instantly. and
dropped TO his knees with eyes peer
ing out through the opening between
the logs. Olga also deserted her
search, and climbed to her post Of lie
fense on the bench. The bullets did
no damage, generally finding billet in
the solid logs, although few crashed
through the planking Of the door. To
Shelby the meaning was sufficiently |
plain; the real danger lay, us he ex-
pected, AT the rear; all this noise was |
being carried on merely to attract
their attention. He called across, un-
able to see his companion. hut well |
aware where she was.
Don't waste any shot until you see
something within range. Those fell |
lows out there are just plugging away
,lindly, They'll never rush this side.
Keep your eyes wide open, though