The Arvada enterprise. (Arvada, Colo.) 1908-1970, 1921-04-21

halted him with q question.
"How long, you been In the army.
Peter
twenty-five years"
"And with the Sixth cavalryr
"Fifteen."
"Did you ever know q sergeant
named Calkins1'
"Jef Calkins; he was my FIRST top
after I Joined; he left the service
bout ten years ago. There was q
ahootin' scrape or somethin' down at
Harker. Sorter ugly story, though I've
forgotten just what It was all about
now. Calkins got out o that all right,
but when his enlistment was up he
quit; he didn't get on good with the
men. Do you know whatever become
Of the OIL dunerr
"He was buried here yesterday
killed himself: left 4 daughter bout
nineteen"
1.-THE h-l he did! jeff Calkins new
er was married: not before he left the
army. anyhow. know because
bunked with him nearly two years an
he told me lot about himself. He
wasn't no lady's man at all. Say.
what the devil 10 goin' on herer'
There's been q wedding" Shelby
started to explain. but the outflowing
throng cut his sentence in two, and
the startled soldiel. stepping back to
get out Of the way. was instantly
swept aside. while the gang poured
forth between. separating the two
completely. The bridegroom found
himself once more the center of fer.
vent congratulations and only escaped
by pushing passage down the steps
to where his outfit waited for depar-
ture. Some moments later she Joined
him. accompanied by her bodyguard,
wearing a long duster which almost
reached the ground and close fitting
cap pulled down over her smooth hair.
He silently helped her into the seat
OF the blackboard. Joining her grimly
and gathering up the reIns In his I'm.
gers.
'Now. then" he called. "a couple
Of you unite those brutes and jump.
They're bad starters"
The broncos amply Justified his pre-
diction and the party went tearing
down the main street. pursued by yells
Of enjoyment and cat-howls Of deri.
sion. Shelby struggling with the r~InA
In an endeavor to keep the maddened
brutes of the sidewalks.
However, the steep ascent Of the
hun brought the plunging animals to
their senses and by the time they
had surmOunted the ridge and struck
the prairie trail leading across the
upland they were willing enough to
slow down to the swift trot they were
accustomed to take On long Journeys.
Shelby loosened his grasp on the leath.
er and rested hack In the seat. ven.
turing 4 side glance At his companion.
She was still gripping the iron rail
for safety, but evidently felt no fear.
"Mean devil. that brooco." said Bhel.
BY. feeling the necessity Of speech
and heckinK his whip lash at the buck.
skin. whose evil eye was peering man.
ciously backward. worst horse 7 ever
owned. The Kid back there seems
to he some bronco Dsster and ri let
him try his luck when We get out to
the ranch. I got some outlaws there"
She turned her head and glanced
behind through the cloud Of dust.
"Who IL hei One Of your menr
swell. I just hired him down At
Ponca. Seems to be mighty good
rider. His name 10 Macklin. but ~
erybody calls him KID"
''Somehow don't Just like him."
''Oh. he's harmless enough"
"Perhapx no. but have that feeling
about him just the same
Shelby made no answer and they
rode on In silence through the circling
dust. He felt awkward and embar-
raised. unable to think Of anything
10 say to keep up conversation and 10.
tensely conscious Of the peculiar situa.
ton In which they found themselves.
Occasionally he stole surreptitious
glance aside ut her. but her eyes were
averted as though In avoidance. kas.
Ing out over the dull vista. To Shelby
th:s Quietness on her part, this half
turning from him seemed particularly
Vsusssouos cuS WIN 0OuutbcbH WITTY
ready ut her choice: this drear expanse
which they rode was more than she
expected to uncomfortable was dread.
Ing already an approach to the Cot.
tonwOOd. He had been . fool to even
dream that he could ever satisfy her
In such surroundings. Well. II was
not too late to turn hack. He would
talk with her and learn the truth.
He drove steadily forward. CO.
deavorins to formulate nome pleasant
opening sentencs. bis mind Inevitably
drifting back to that late coovsesa.
ton With shaunessy and the doubts II
had awakened. Ou9ht be 70 psTmit
hsr to become exposed 70 Q possible
Indian attack Was II not piainly
bis duty to explain fully The exact
situationi And then that sthss mat.
ter relative 70 Old Calkinsf Surely Il
was her place 70 make that cssafS
He straiEhtened up. clearing he
voice, and she danced ahout. a..