The Adair County news., 1922-02-07
CHAPTER II.
Outlining a Plot.

apologies therefor, had, on this partic-
Buffalo Gap as his hOnOred guest.
Shelby saw the two when he first en-
tered, over in the farther corner and,
as there CHANGED to be a vacant seat
beside Mccarthy, he made his slightly
uncertain way in that direction and
succeeded in safely establishing him.
self on the empty bench. The room
was we'll filed with men, most of them
still discussing the important event of
the afternoon, and he soon became
aware that the conversation of the two
next to him bore upon the same sub
ject.
Shelby stared at the smoking, greasy
mess outspread before him, prying
open a sOggy biscuit, and asked
question of Mccarthy.
How'd the collection come out,
Mac?"
"What collection? Oh, for the gurl ;
bout five hundred, want it, reve-
rendw
-Four ninety-seven," said the
preacher in his deep voice. "Quite
an assistance for the young woman
in this time of bereavement, as 1 am
informed her father left little or no
property"
property Old Calkins! Well,
should say not. And what's more"
the saloon-keeper becoming interested,
81 don't see how that moneys goin'
ter do her much good. I was just
talkin' ter the dominic yere about her
Tom, what is she agOin' ter do? An
what he'd this town ought ter do fer
herr"
what do you mean? They done
enough, amt they, with that swell
funeral an five hundred bucks on top
of it? What more would she expect?"
"She don't expect nuthin'. That
amt her style. 1 got an idee she
won't even accept this bunch O. coin.
She's the Ornariest heifer 1 ever saw.
But that's got no bearin' on us. She's
an orphan, left yere in POnca with
no visible means of support. She's
a decent girl; nobody ever said nuth-
in against her, and the way it looks
ter me we got moral duty ter per-
form. Amt that it, Reverend"
"That is the thought 1 endeavored
to convey" returned the visitor from
Buffalo Gap seriously. you heard
me, I presume, young MANI"
"Only the last few sentences" ad-
mitted Shelby. 81 don't belong here,
but just happened to drift in today"
"Tom's ranchin' over on the Cotton
wood" interrupted Mccarthy, "but
he's a mighty straight guy, an I'd
like ter have him express his feelin's
on this yere idee O. yours, Reverend.
It's rather a new one on me-"
The preacher Strengthened up and
cleared his throat.
"Well, here's the case of a young
girl, seventeen or eighteen years old,
who has had no experience whatever
in life, suddenly left an orphan in this
town, without any money or friends,
so to speak. Where can she go? What
can she do? There isn't a place she
could earn a living here, excepting
the dance hall; there isn't a place in
this town she could call home. That
is what I tried to make clear to Mr..
McCarthy-that the men of this town
ought to give her a chance. Mac here's
married man; got a wife and two
daughters of his own back East and
he cottoned to my idea right away"
"But what is your idea"
Marriage, sir-marriage honorable
matrimony. I even offer my services
freely. The girl should be given a
husband and home; this would as
sure her future and relieve Ponca of
every obligation. Do you see the
point?'
"Yes," admitted Shelby, yet rather
dazed at the project, 'but there would
seem to be certain obstacles in the
way of such scheme No doubt you
have considered these. Who, for in
stance, would marry herr"
"There isn't likely to be any trouble
about that" confidently. "If she'd fix
up she'd be right gOod-loOking girl,
besides she's got five hundred dollars
to start with and that's more money
than a lot of these gazabOs ever saw
in all their lives. I'll bet there's fifty
men in POnca that would jump at the
chance"
Founders and tin-horns."
"SOme of them-sure. But there
would be some decent fellows among
them. That's about how we figured it,
McCarthy?"
The saloOnkeeper nodded.
There's quite few of the right
kind round POnca, Tom, who'd be
mighty glad to get a decent woman
and settle down. I could name half
dozen right now. What amt so sure
bout is the gurl."
To BE CONTINUED