The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1923-08-22
CHAPTER lil-Continued.


justice, mercy even, without a friend
hope; mere atom left to perish at
the will Of brute. Even God had de-
serted her.
Her wrist watch had stopped, and
she possessed no knowledge of the time,
yet surely it must be late. The respite
now would be short; those who were
coming to carry out this mockery
could not be delayed much longer.
She even hoped now they would come
anything was better than this uncer-
tainty, this horror of waiting.
She wondered where Bob Meager
was, and what he was doing. There
was no movement about the house
except that Of the cook in the detached
kitchen. The fellows regular work
would have been completed long ago A;
no doubt he was busily preparing |
some sort of feast with which to cele- |
brate the wedding. The wedding! Her |
weddingl There was the harsh mock
cry of laughter in her voice as she |
repeated over aloud the ironic words. |
Her wedding Girl-like she had won
dered often what 1t would be like. |
And now 1t was here; she was actually
waiting the hour, the moment And
the husband the man whom Fate or
the devil had brought to her? He
was waiting, too, no doubt, alone in
the front room yonder drinking him
self into a reckless courage. becoming
a greater demon with every moment
Of delay. 1t was too much, too much.
The very heart seemed to go out of
her, and she buried her face in her
arms on the sill, her body shaking
with the sobs which could no longer
be restrained.
Suddenly her ears caught the dis
tant sound of horses hoofs through
the silence, and she sat up. gasping
for breath, once more al by fear
Yes. tsev were of the Livings,. the
e7es and his stenographer, Miss |
lrman, We're in town last Thursday |
btheir way to the property.
h I'm. Asire of Mackay, son of the
rs. L. agent at that place, was a
list of the Pierson family on Mill
eek for a week or ten days.
/, LAST Friday, Judge Adair, Senator
'',mas and Judge W. A. Lee passed
ough town on their way to their
s.es at Blackfoot, from Boise.
RIB A. Harrington and wife arrived
Ike cavalry man. sT1e onrcr--a nun
ng, decidedly ungainly fellow, topped
With broad Mexican sombrero which
shaded his features. These
.wo remained mounted. but the third
nan swung instantly down from the
Iaddle, noisily greeting Meager as he
stepped into the open doorway. He
vas a heavily built American. with
coarse bloated face, and wore a
craggly beard. When he spoke he
roaked like frog.
"Hullo. Bob" he called out, wad-
ling forward. "Well. I got here all
light"
$50 see," with no special cordially
4 the voice, which was hoarse from
rink. "And you didn't come alone,
Iarrity; who the HI is with your"
"Alonew He sputtered out laugh
Did you think I'd ride across that
ID desert at night alone? Not for
II the money You got. Bob Mesger.
RYAN came along with me, an out
ere at Silver Springs we run into
mother old pard O. yours. an per-
faded him to ride on along with u.s.
int that all right?" =.
ut depends On you. Clarity,
I'D you this was to be private af-
ir. didn't 1? Who Is the fellow you wi
ought along from Silver Springs" gu
"Frisco-don't that beat hip fnt
Frisco! Why, by Cd, 1 never ev
opposed he dared show up this side crt
e line" He stepped out eagerly. co,
cling little from the liquor he car fro
ed. yet heading straight toward the sto
Her figure in the dim light. The lat out
r swung down from the saddle and Me
ct him. Meager, garrulous with ito
ink, greeting him effusively wo
Say. I'm glad to see you, Kid" he spo
rst forth, but how the HI do you L"
re come here? There is a lot O. scr
VS. who'd kill their own mother fer me
, reward Arizoua's got on you. did
yin to commit suicide?" wal
NO, not as desperate as that, Bob"
swered the other. his voice rather "RI