The Adair County news., 1922-03-07
SYNOPSIS.

SYNOPSIS.
CHAPTER I.-Tom Shelby, a rancher,
rides In to the frontier town of Ponca
looking for a good time after a long spell
Of hard work and loneliness on the
ranch. Instead, he runs into funeral
that Of Dad Calkins, a retired army man
OF whom little is known. A girl, still in
her teens, survives Calkins.
CHAPTER u.-McCarthy, a saloon
keeper and Ponca's leading citizen, de-
cides that the girl, now alone in the
world, should marry. Shelby starts
hunt for eligible husbands and the min
tster goes to confer with the girl.
CHAPTER III.-She agrees to pick a
husband from score of men lined up in
her home. To his CONSERVATION, she Sc
1ects Shelby, who had gone along merely
aS q spectator. He declines the honor.
Indignant, the girl dismisses the assem-
blage. Later, Shelby goes back to make
an explanation. She receives him good
nRturedly.
CHAPTER IV-Leaving her, Shelby
runs into two of the rejected suitors, and
in q fight worsts them both Angered
at their remarks, he returns to the girl.
determined to marry her, if she will have
him. After his explanation she agrees
TO marry him.
CHAPTER V.-The wedding takes
place and the couple set out for Shelby's
ranch. With them is the "Kid" Mack
lin, whom Shelby has hired as a helper
on the ranch. On the way the girl tells
her husband her name is Olga Carlyn,
and also tells him something of the Pc
culiar circumstances of her life.
CHAPTER VL-Leaving his wife in
the house, Shelby goes to care for the
horses. Returning, he is struck from
behind by an unknown assailant. Hours
later he RECEIVERS consciousness, to find
that his wife and the kid have dis
appeared. He starts in pursuit.
Shelby knew now something Of what
he must contend with. The act Of alb
duction, and attempted murder, was
no sudden temptation assailing Mack
lin, but undoubtedly part of a well-Or-
ganized plot. Whatever their object,
i've men were concerned in the out
rage, their intention probably the
making of the girl a prisoner. In
,Shelby's judgment she was probably
in no immediate danger. If the fel-
lows had intended taking her life. she
would never have thus been sparea
and carried away, apparently unin-
jured. Their purpose evidently re-
quired that she be kept alive, but
helpless in their hands.
He was cool now; grimly deter
~,afn hyr& IND
self for a long and dangerous quest.
He was to be one man pitted against
five, and every instinct Of long ex-
perience on the plains, warned him
against being rash. He recrossed the
stream, built fire in the stove, and,
after washing the blood from his
head. ate heartily; then packed a
leather haversack with food, and was
ready. He took this time in which to
plan out his course, and then went for
ward unhesitatingly, filling his pockets
with rifle cartridges, and fiinging the
haversack over his shoulder, before
starting for the corral. He decided
upon the buckskin as being the better
animal for his purpOse-a vicious
brute, harder TO handle but tireIess,
and able to exist where either Of the
others would starve. 1t required a
good half-hour to rope and saddle the
beast, but he had plenty Of time. Once
On the trail he could easily Outride the
party he was following, and he had no
desire to approach them closely until
well after dark.
Once firm IN the saddle, however,
rife under the flap. with haversack
strapped on the opposite side, and
Dlanket-rolI behind, he gave the plung-
ing, bucking demon between his legs
little mercy. The man was in no mood
for play of any sort, and set himself
to conQuering the brute in the quick
est possible way. 1t was a rough, hard
struggle, but the human won, and, un-
Ger the merciless sting of the quirt,
the maddened but subdued animal,
nostrils distended, and eyes vicious as
ever, yielded final obedience to the
rein.