The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1921-07-07
CHAPTER XII.
The Attack On The Cabin


except occasionally the echo Of dis
tant voice shouting. Shelby, startled
by these words and alarmed by her
agitation, swiftly crossed the room.
The body was gone, actually gone! AS
he bent over, incredulous, distrusting
the evidence OF his own eyes, he could
perceive the stain OF blood In which
the man had fallen, but that was all.
There was no semblance Of body
there.
Judas PRIEST" he said soberly.
This beats anything ever saw. He
souldn't have been killed, but never
aw him twitch a muscle after he
dropped. Gonel Darn If know what
to make of II. Why, where could he
have gone tot There amt but one way
out from this shack an he sure didn't
go out there"
mo, he couldn't" her voice quaver-
Ing. 1--WE would have seen him II he
had"
"Seen himl OF course, we would.
He must have revived and crawled
away. You bet, there amt no mystery
about It. Dead men amt movin
around an there amt no angels comm
down to carry that cuss off. What's
happened ~ he got back strength
enough to crawl. Likely he got into
that back room out o sight. Any
how I'm goin' to find out what's hap
pened. You keep an eye at that hole
In the wall yonder, while 1 scout around
minute. If you see anything movin'
In shootin distance, Just blaze away.
Don't hesitate a moment"
She went forward as he told her
without word and stared out, yet
nervously turning her head about at
the slightest sound. Shelby waited
moment listening, and then stepped
confidently forward across the thresh-
old OF the inner door. He had no
doubt that he would discover Macklin
dead or alive, outstretched on the
floor. The fellow must be there; he
could have gone nowhere else. The
place was as black as night; a step
beyond the entrance and he had to
grope his way blindly. unable to dis
tinguish a single object. There was
something grim and CHASTITY In feeling
about with his feet for an unseen body.
Then the fellow might still be alive,
even dangerous. He stopped at the
disquieting thought and spoke sharply
into the gloom.
"Are you there, Macklln? Come,
speak up; nobody is going to hurt
you"
There was no response. no move.
ment. no sound Of a groan, no pulsing
OF breath. The stiffness was intense,
horrible. Shelby gripped himself and
began to advance slowly, guiding his
passage along the wall, expecting ev-
cry instant to encounter some obsta-
Gle His cropping feet touched nothing.
inch by inch he explored the floor Of
che room, the perspiratlon beginning
90 stand in drops on his forehead.
There was no body lying there, no
form Of a man, either living or dead;
The place was absolutely unoccupied.
he could hardly believe this. true; his
mind refused to grasp the fact; he
came back to the door dazed and I'M
him the man must be somewhere with
in the cabin; any other thought was
simply impossible; yet where2 He had
already explored every inch Of surface
to no result. So bewildered and dunn
founded was he before this mystery
that he was even startled at the girls
voice asking an eager question.
rs he there? Did you find himr
"No he's gone as though he had
q pair Of wings"
"But how could he get out?'
That's what 1 say. Everything is
solid; no human could vanish through
these walls; there isn't a window not
We wasn't outside ten minutes, nor
ten feet away from the step. A rat
couldn't have passed without bein'
seen. Blamed II Il don't make me
shiver, for, by thunder, however II
happened, he amt here; he amt no
where I'm this cabin. AM" 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 hoorT
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 seer
"Yes, did," she explained excitedly.
Ell 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. II was wom-
an; I am sure II was a woman, with
black 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