The Red Cloud chief., 1921-02-03


In which he had died. the lips drawn
back. disclosing q grinning row Of
teeth. The face scarcely appeared
human. and yet was vaguely familiar.
He had seen It once before, revealed
in the glare of a match, and the recOl-
lection came back haunting him-the
fellow was SlagiD, Hanley's partner
Then he had come there for no good ?
Had come there In the night like a
Sinking car. knowing Of Macklin's alb
sence, to carry out some foul object Of
his own.
The ranchman drew in long
breath, and stood up. The silence and
gloom oppressed him, as his eyes once
more swept about the dismal apart
mept. It was surely fit abode for
murder. but the sight Of those two
dead bodies interlocked on the floor
was more than he could bear Obey
ing the first impulse he dragged them,
still gripping each other, across the
floor, and thrust them under the bench,
fiingng over them the folds Of tat.
tered blanket.
But what Of her-Olga? Surely no
one could have been here since these
two men fought? Otherwise their
bodies would have been found. and
cared for. 1t must be that Macklin
had not yet returned, and that Hanley
knew nothing OF Slagins desperate
venture. Then the girl must still be
confined In the house, helpless to es-
cape and guarded by these dead men.
The thought sent the blood surging
into Shelby's throat, and his eager
eyes sought the only door opening
through the side wall. 1t was tightly
closed and secured by strong bar Of
wood. He picked up the revolver
from the floor, and went swiftly for
ward, prepared to face whatever might
be revealed beyond. The bar fitted
snuglys yet he forced 1t free Of the
clasps, and pushed the door open with
his knee, watchfully peerlng into the
darkness behind. He saw nothing, no
flutter Of movement, no evidence that
the place was occupied. In spite Of
daylight without, the room, with its
shuttered windows. remained black.
His heart almost ceased to beat, yet
he advanced into the room. flinging
the door wide open behind him. This
admitted sufficient light to enable him
to dimly make out his surroundings
couch, covered with a bearskin. a
rudely made chair, bucket Of water
In one corner. and a family revealed
figure against the further wall.
"Olga! I" he exclaimed. "Olgal"
She moved. leaning forward eagerly.
"Who are you? Who calls me?"
at is you, then?" he sprang forward.
"Don't be afraid; am Shelby"
"Shelby-you! Tom Shelby! o
God this Is not dream?"
"No, mol am just as real as you
are. See; touch me. You thought l
was dead2"
Her hands were In his own; her
eyes. still incredulous. searching his
face In the dim light.
"Dead-yesI They told me so; an
Indian said he had crushed In your
skull. He boasted Of It; and when I
asked that Macklln, he only laughed.
when he said 1t was So"
Laughed, how?"
Her eyes fell.
"He--he didn't seem to think II
could make much difference to me
that l would care"
snut do xn,, Ennxu xx,hn hn 10 Md
he tell you? Did the fellow explain
his purpose in this outrage?"
81 do not know; he had no time, nc
opportunity; we were never alone
What do you mean? Was this all
done for some deliberate purpose?'
"Yes, 1t was. Olga. His name is not
Macklin at all 1t is probably Churchill
have you ever heard that name be-
fOre?"
"No; I am sure not"
"It was your mothers name. She
came from Virginia, and was helress
to considerable property. 1t was lef
to her In trust, and her uncle was tn,
trustee"
"My mother?"
"Yes; she never knew this while sh'
lived, but your father learned som,
of the facts after her death, and en-
deavored to verify them. His searcl
was what started trouble; for you
uncle. the trustee-his name Is Cor
nelius Churchlll-had made no eifor
to locate the heir to the property lef
In his care. Instead he had used tn
money, believing himself perfectl
safe. When he learned of your IA
ther's suspicious, he became fright
ened."
'Can this be truef"
at evidently is true. strange as
seems. Then your father was killed
| perhaps through some row engineere
by Churchill to put him out Of tn
way, and they made every effort t
find you. You alone stood betwee
them and this ill-gotten wealth. Fol
tunately you could not Immediately b
located; you had been hidden away I
a Catholic school. and, before Church
III succeeded In discovering whs
school you were at. Calkins took yO
away, and destroyed every trail"
"Calkins! Who and what was he
/ -..uuana Tn, yn,,r Pathar,o trnn.