The Adair County news., 1922-04-04

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Who opened that door? Where is the
id red snake. anywayr
81 do not know very much more
than you do" she replied quietly.
There was a fight out here some time
during the night, and the bar across
the door was knocked down."
"a fight who were theyT
"a white man, and the guard. They
were both killed"
"Both-both killed?" he seemed un-
able to grasp the fact. "Who was the
white man"
81 do not know"
"And you did not even run awayf
Did not try to escape?"
where could 1 goT' she asked.
"What was there for me to do but
wait for you to return?"
"Well. If this don't beat h-lW he
exclaimed. "Why 1 thought you was
afraid of me. You amt, hey"
mo; II don't think 1 am. You
were not rough with me, and-and you
said you would have something inter-
esting to tell me when you got back"
Macklin laughed, evidently relieved.
She had spoken as a child might
whose curiosity had been aroused.
"Oh, see, my girl; you've been
thinking this over, have you, and de-
cided might not be quite so bad after
all. I thought maybe you'd get over
that tantrum after awhile, fer shucks
1 knew that feller Shelby was nothin'
to you. You just married him ter git
away from Ponca-didn't you?"
eyes," she admitted, that was
about ALL"
$50, now he's dead he don't cut no
ice anymore"
"But are you sure he's dead?"
"Sure?" sneeringly. 81 don't know
how 1 could be no surer. / turned
the cuss over an he was cold then.
You don't need worry none about that.
Wait a minute till 1 see who the
guy was what tried to break in here"
Shelby could hear Macklin cross the
room, and jerk the blanket from off
the bodies. The fellow gave utterance
to an oath of astonishment at the
sight revealed.
"My God! Did you ever see any
thing like that? Locked together like
two stays. Hi Sam was shot, but
he got the white guy even after he
was dead. D-n me, If 1t amt Hank
Slaginl Now, what does that mean?
I reckon Hanley sent the galoot In
here. That comes from spillin' things
when yer drunk. Say, you an have
got to get out Of here. I'll tell you
about it as quick as I can. It's plain
enough Hanley's got his eyes on you,
an will doubIe-cross me if he once
gifts a chance"
'What is it you mean? I do not un-
derstand."
Naturally yer don't, seein' l amt
told yer nothin'. But now that 1 know
yer amt pining away over that feller
Shelby, I reckon the sensible thing
fer me to do is ter talk straight.
There's soin' ter be HI TO pay in this
valley before long, and the sooner we
get out o. here the better. ] run across
a soldier bout half way ter Gerlasche.
an he give me pointer that made me
wheel about. an ride back"
1.-THE Indian outbreak?"
"Sure; the troops got in, an round
ed most of the Sioux up. They had a
fight at Wounded Knee. over yonder,
an licked HI out of the reds. Some
of 'em got away though, an come
trailin' west-mOstlS young ones.
reckon-an' now they're sendin' cav
airy out ter ride 'em down. That's
what he was after, a bunch to come
ScOutin' in through here"
Here? Wolves hole?"
Morn likely; he didn't say nothin
bout that. But they're mighty liable
TER call. Tn fer gittin' out, while the
COINS good. That's what I come back
for-tO get you, and skip"
Toto get me?"
"Of course. I'll tell yer about it now.
an you'll go all right. I reckon you
never thought run off with you
cause I loved your"
"NO-yOu-yOu loved me?"
That's the way of it. I saw you
long before that funeral down to Pom
ca; but this guy Shelby horned in
fore I was ready to act. You didn't
care nOthin' for him. So l says to my
self, then. I'll have her; I'll take her
whether she wants me or not. Long
as she don't love him, I'll make her
love me-see? Course l didn't aim to
do no killing; that was just an acci-
dent like, an 1 didn't do it nohow. 1t
was Sam here who got gay, and beaned
Shelby"
"But what would you do with me, II
If he had been aliveT
There amt no use discussin' that,
fer he amt alive. It's what 1 want
ter do now that counts Maybe had
plan then, an maybe didn't. But
now / got it all planned up proper.
I'm a goin' ter marry you. An that
goes whether yer're willin' or not.
amt even askin' you"
The expression of her face must
have brought the fellow a realization
that perhaps he was going altogether
too fast, for he broke in with an ex-
PLANTATION.
"See here now. don't get huffy. |