The Adair County news., 1922-04-18

and also tells him something OF the Pc
culiar circumstances of her life.
CHAPTER VI.-Leaving his wife in
ne house. Shelby goes to care for the
horses. Returning he is struck from
behind by an unknown assailant. Hours
later he recovers consciousness, to find
that his wife and the kid" have dis
appeared. He starts in pursuit
CHAPTER VII.-Shelby overhears a
conversation between two outlaws that
throws some light on his wife's history.
He learns she is an heiress and that her
abduction has been planned. He also
learns that she has been taken to
wolves Hole" a haunt of bandits and
had" Indians. The whereabouts Of the
place IL unknown to Shelby, though its
reputation as a resort of criminals lie
Widespread.
CHAPTER VIII.-SheIby lays plans
20 rescue his wife. He is discovered by
Indian Joe" Laud, the leader of the
outlaws, and forced to accompany him
into the stronghold. There Shelby makes
friends with a Mexican girl, Pancha,
VINO IL betrothed to Macklin and in
fsnseay Jealous.
CHAPTER IX.-Imprisoned by Laud.
ehelby escapes with Pancha's help. She
guides him to q S0eure hiding place but
refuses to reveal the whersa6cuts Of his
wife.
CHAPTER X.-After a nights rest
Shelby leaves his shelter, seeking his
w1fe's prison. He discovers 1t, an old
log cabin, and finds Olga Their reunion
A interrupted by the arrival of Macklin.
fhof Chalhv
Is dead, believing him to have been killed
at the ranch, Macklin declares his inten-
ton of marrying Olga, the widow. Lauo
appears, and while they are talking
Macklin is shot by a concealed assassin.
Shelby fights with Laud, but is worsted,
and the outlaw escapes. He returns with
friends, and Shelby and his wife defend
the cabin.
CHAPTER XIL-During a lun in the
fighting the pair discover that the body
of Macklin has disappeared. Seeking an
explanation, they find secret passage
beneath the floor and take refuge in it.
The cabin is burned but they are in
safety. Laud and his desperadoes natu-
rally suppose both Shelby and his wife
have perished in the burning cabin.
He started back to join her, but at
that instant there came a sudden
burst of rife fire without, bullets
thudding into the cabin walls, the
sound punctuated by savage yells.
Shelby whirled about instantly, and
dropped to his knees with eyes peer
ing out through the opening between
the logs. Olga also deserted her
search, and climbed to her post of de-
fense on the bench. The bullets did
no damage, generally finding billet in
the solid logs, although a few crashed
through the planking of the door. To
Shelby the meaning was sufficiently
plain; the real danger lay. as he ex-
pected at the rear; all this noise was
being carried on merely to attract
their attention. He called across, I'M
able to see his companion, but well
aware where she was.
Don't waste any shot until you see
something within range. Those fel-
lows cut there are just plugging away
blindly. They'll never rush this side.
Keep your eyes wide open. though.
I'm going back, and try to knock off
board from that rear window. If l
can get a few shots out there Wen
block their little game. You hear"
"Yes; / think one or two are crawl
ing closer through those weeds"
Likely enough, young bucks who
can't hold back; keep your eye on
them, En' let them have 1t. as soon as
you are sure. Call out if you need
me-"
He grCped his way as far as the in
ner door, helped by the almost cOntin-
uous flash of the rifles outside; he had
even crossed the threshold, his heart
choking him as he perceived a glare of
red fame, already visible here and
there through narrow chinks between
the logs. Perhaps he was already too
1ate-those devils had fired the cabin,
the licking flames even then beginning
to eat into the dry bark. He had no
time in which to act, or even think.
Before he might venture another step
forward, Olga fired twice rapidly, the
fare Of her revolver lighting up the
entire interior. What followed he
.
the crash Of the overturned bench,
and the sound of a body falling heavi-
ly on the floor. A revolver went spin
ming noisily across the room. and then
all was still, and black once more. .
Shelby could see nothing: only the
blurred memory of that single instant
had scared itself on his brain. She
had been shot-his wife; this girl he
had learned to lOvel Some stray shot
from an Indian rife, fired blindly in
the dark, had found fatal passage
through that broken shutter, and
struck her down. His first helpless
daze changed into a rage of revenge.
mingled with wild yearning that he
might yet find her alive.
"Olgap he cried out, "Olga!"
There was no answer. no pOvement.
All was black, soundless; even the
rifle fire without had ceased.