The Adair County news., 1922-04-11

go out there"
mo. he couldn't" her voice Quaver-
ing. 1--WE would have seen him If he
had"
"Seen him! OF course. we would.
He must have revived and crawieti
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 is, 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 scout around
a 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 a 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, Macklin? 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
the room, the perspiration beginning
to 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 un-
nerved. All nature, all reasoning told
him the man must be somewhere with
in the cabin; any other thought was
simply impossible; yet where? 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.
as he there? Did you find him?"
mo; he's gone as though he had
a pair of wings"
"But how could he get out?'
That's what l say. Everything Is
solid; no human could vanish through
these walls; there isn't a window not
boarded up and only that one door,
We wasn't outside ten minutes, nor
ten feet away from the step. A rat
couldn't have passed without bein'
seen. Blamed if it don't make me
shiver, for, by thunder, however il
happened, he amt here; he amt no
where in 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 flOOr?"
Shelby laughed despOndently.
Lord. I 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 see?
"Yes. I did," she explained excitedIy
81 was looking that way, toward where
the board was ripped off the window
I just had a glimpse of a face behind
the muZzle of the gun. 1t was a WON.
an: am sure it 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
enough. She overheard what he said
and fired in mad passion"
what do you mean? What are you
talking about? This girl?"
Sure; 1 told you about her; she
helped me escape last night. She was
crafty jealous over Macklin. She is
Mexican and is here with her brother
little outlaw, no doubt. knowing no
law but her own passion. She must
have been there when he boasted to
Laud that he would leave her and mar
ry you. 1t drove her crazy and she
shot"
81 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 him?'
Perhaps she may know some Sc
crpt Massage There MIGHT no ono nm