The Adair County news., 1922-03-07
oOrINUEO FROM PAGE 2

"What makes you think so?"
"rhe way he acted afterward.
Churchill had got Carlyn out of the
way, bat he couldn't locate the girl.
he didn't suspect the sergeant at first,
nor for a long time. He was a foxy
guy. and stuck to the army for several
years, never maxim a move, just
peyin' for the girls schoolin', but
never goin' near her. Then, when
everybody had quit watchin' him, Cal
ksns took his discharge papers, and
skipped out. takin' the girl with
him."
How could he do thatTr
That's what asked Macklin, an
he said they'd finally found out that
ffurin' the time between when Carlyn
was shot, an when he died, he'd
signed a paper maxim Calkins the
girls guardian, an gave him the key
Ia deposit box In Kansas City, where
an his papers was. A lawyer named
Weeks, at Sheridan, did II for him.
f0u see the colonel didn't have no
near relatives, an he an Calkins had
been soldering together for years; he
sorter trusted the sergeant to play
square. an he sure did I"
The HI he did! Never made a
peep for the money, did he? An just
aid out all round the country with
ahe girl. don't call that playin' very
square"
well, ii was, just the same, id
square. If you ask me. 1t was what
Weeks advised him TO- do, after he
lwent to Virginia, an got q peep at a
-sVpy of the will On file. This girl had
no legal rights till she was of age
see! Churchill knew this, an he
iEan't do much o. anything else fer
b%z years, but try to get his hands on
lag. Old Calkins was smart enough
70 fool him. The colonel had money
enough IN the deposit box, so they
sOuld live on it quietlike, an the SER
eeant never wasted a cent. He just
ssturaliy lived for that girl, till about
@ month ago. He was smart enough
s0t even to trust her; she never knew
-Ehat they was hidin' FROM"
Rank touched match to another
cigarette, impressed with the story.
Rum kind of business, I'd say
De admitted at last, "but just where
did this DEVILS imp of Macklin f1t
1nr'
a amt got that all figured out yet"
admitted Hanley. "You know pretty
near as much about him as do. Furst
sizae / saw the feller he rode in yere
saong with Cassady's outfit, after that
~ p. holdup, an he's been trainin'
Nith Cassidy more or less ever since
after I had this talk with him, when
" ne was drunk, 1 put him to bed. an
- aseked up q letter, or two, what fell
sast of his pocket. l got some O. this
stuff out o. them. One of them was
written by Churchill, an judgIn' from
the way It read, the Kid amt really
-s.amed Macklin at all-he's Churchill
Aimseh, the old cuss' son."
s1wefl, I'll be d-dT
~KeH know the rest; how he STUN.
ssea cato Of Calkins down In Ponca
~ what happened. You can't make
NE believe the old fellow killed him.
self; he wasn't that kind. But. how.
-sTeT It happened. the girl was left
Aelpless; then id if she didn't marry
SAat rancher over on the Cottonwood
aa' spoil the whole game"
Hank laughed coarsely.
Tough luck: but the Kid played
Aas hand all right"
"Sure he did. but he had to bear
this fellow Shelby. Except for that
% it wasn't so bad, for 1t was easier
10 get her where he wanted her.
asn't know how he'd have managed al
Po4ca, but there was Just the three
81 EN- on the Cottonwood"
AAnd dead men don't talk"
~EeIl, they're safer than live ones
-anyh0w. Then this Injun outbreak
eomiD' right now makes the getaway
peana easy. BE can hide her away
sack in the Hole as long as he d-n
,g2eases. Everything will be laid tC
the Sioux for awhile"
''It's a sure hreak. then?'
"Sure; all the young bucks are al
aim en- this chaSp-tOOk 'em on pur-
pose, so If they was ever traiIed they'd
say it was~an Injun job. Oh, he's COW
cred up things all right. You got it
straight nOw?"
Hank drew up his feet until his
Rhin rested on his knees, the tip Of
1he cigarette glowing.
II got 1t straight enough, so far as
'zhat goes. Hanley, bat don't see what
1he HI we're goin' TO get out of it.
You've got the same love for the
Kid have, amt yer?"
-"Just about, reckon. I'd sure like
70 take good swipe at the ornary
euss."
That's what / thought. Well, he
amt goin' to do nOthin' desperate to
This young woman till he hears from
Abe old man. This affair has been
pulled off -hurriedlike, an all the Kid
has got in his mind right now is TO
hide her away somewhere, until old
Churchill shows up. and decides what
10 do with her."