The Adair County news., 1922-03-28

breath, and stood up. The silence and
gloom oppressed him, as his eyes once
more swept about the dismal apart
ment. 1t was surely a 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.
flinging 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 Slagin's 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 a 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
snugly, yet he forced it free of the
clasps, and pushed the door open with
his knee, watchfully peering into the
darkness behind. He saw nothing, no
t1utter 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, fiinging
the door wide open behind him. This
admitted sufficient light to enable him
TO dimly make out his surroundings
a couch, covered with bearskin.
rudely made chair, a bucket Of water
in one corner, and a family revealed
figure against the further wall.
"Olgar he exclaimed, "Olgaw
She moved, leaning forward eagerly.
"WhO are you? Who calls me?"
1T is you, thenl" he sprang forward.
Don't be afraid; am Shelby"
"Shelby-you! Tom Shelby! o
God this is not a dreamT
mo, no! 1 am just as real as you
are. See; touch me. You thought
was dead?"
Her hands were in his own; her
eyes, still incredulous. searching his
face in the dim light.
Dead yes! They told me so; an
Indian said he had crushed in your
skull. lie bOasted of it; and when
asked that Macklin, he only laughed,
when he said it was So"
Laughed. hOw?"
"He-he didn't seem TO think it
could make much difference to me;
that l would care"
"But do you know who he is? Did
he tell you? Did the fellow explain
his purpose In this Outrage?"
Il do not know; he had no time, no
opportunity; We were never alone.
What do you mean? Was this all
done for some deliberate purpose?
Yes, it was, Olga. His name is not
Maclllin at all; it is probably Churchill
have you ever heard that name be-
fOre?"
mo; l am sure not"
1T was your mothers name. She
came from Virginia, and was heireSs
to considerable property. 1t was left
TO her in trust and her uncle was the
trustee"
"AIy mOther?"
Yes; she never knew this while she
lived. but your father learned some
of the facts after her death, and en-
dcavorpd to verify them. His search
was what started trouble; for your
uncle, the trustee-his name is Cor
nelius Churchill-had made no effort
to locate the heir to the property left
in his care. Instead he had used the
money, believing himself perfectly
safe. When he learned of your IA
theirs suspicious, he became fright
ened"
Can this be true?"
1T evidently is true strange as it
seems. Then your father was killed,
perhaps through some row engineered
by Churchill to put him out of the
way, and they made every effort to
find you. You alone stood between
them and this ill-gOtten wealth. For
tunately you could not Immediately be
located; you had been hidden away in
a Catholic school, and, before Church
i'll succeeded in discovering what
school you were at, Calkins took you
away, and destroyed every trail"
"Calkins! Who and what was hep
"a sergeant in your fathers troop /;
a faithful fellow TO whom your father
had cOnfided his story before he died
His one object was to keep you safely
out of Churchill's hands until you
should become of age. That was why
he dragged you from town to town
and kept you in poverty"
But why did he never tell me all
this?"
Il cannot answer that; no doubt he
thought it best; believed the time had
not come. understand he acted under
legal advice. Then, you know, his
death was very sudden"
did he kill himselfY
81 do not think so now. That was
the story in POnca, but it is my belief
he was murdered. You had finally