The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1934-11-15
CHAPTER I-Continued


plexlon, with very dark blue eyes and
rich, shiny. jet black hair. She was
unusually intelligent and afrectlonate,
OF quick sympathy and winning, gra-
cIous ways. She was the apple OF Mr.
Gatlin's eye, and by the time she was
ten years old he no longer cared a
snap of his finger for his wife.
If Penelope was Mr.. Gatlin's refuge,
he also was hers. She never COM
plalned to him--doubtless because she
feared her foster mother, who had sue.
ceeded In intoxicating In the child
duty complex quite out Of proportion
TO the lady's deserts. Nevertheless 1t
was understood between them that they
were a pair of outlaws, mutual sym.
pathy drew them closer together each
day. their mutual love was a sweet
and holy sentiment.
Mr. GatlIn's nerves did not improve
through the years, although when
Penelope was ten years old, a wander
Ing evangelist came to town and com
menced a furious campaign Of CONVEX
sion and curing by prayer every dis
ease that flesh Is heir to, and Mrs.
Gatlin became converted" There
after. life for Mr. Gatlin and Penelope
became almost unhearable.
In q moment Of insane fury Mr.. Cat
lin performed what he considered Il
long neglected duty He rnnk Mrs Cat
Inns classical couutenance In both
hunds. bumped her head repeatedly
agslnsi the wall and told her that II
she ever opened her mouth again In
his presence without his permission
he'd Just about kill her. She didn't
She sued him for divorce and had
Penelope on the witness stand To prove
that Mr.. Gatlln had beaten her. that
he Ind remained away from home until
late ut night und refused to reveal his
rendezvous. Air. tutlin entered Il cross
complaint and petltInned 10 have fene
lope allocated to him.
Unfortunately the Judge was pnd-
dlng-heud He refused To accept Mr..
GatIn's explanation that he had laid
hands on Mrs. tsatlln but once. and
that only In moment ~ frenzy. But
he did moi state where he hnd been In
the habit of spending his evenings so
suspIcIuusly. He couldn't afford to. He
was prominent business man. How
ever, tile Judge should have known.
Probably he did. but even 80 he WAS
unsympathetic. lie granted Mrs. Cat
~ Hhasu1 a ~ n lxa
custody OF Penelope; wherpnp1h the
honorable court was treated To the
spectacle Of Mr. tsatlin and Penelope
weeping In each others arms How
ever. Mr.. Gatlin was permitted to have
Penelope to himself two Sunday after
Moons In each month and one-hnlf Of
each school vacation.
The first Sunday afternoon Mr. Cat
lin availed himself of this privilege. his
nuondam spouse had Mysteries, for with
the malevolencp Of devil Mr. Gatllr
announced he WINS taking Penelope tf
bnl game. He took her. too, anf
they had Il gorgeous tiInp together I'M
til n home run smiled Into the bleach
ers and struck Penelope &vIolpnrly OF
her pretty little nose Mr. tfatlln. witt
the unconscious form in his arms. fiet
to II hospital. where he was ,fenllsl
enough to telephone Mrs. Gatlin wha
had occurred. She appeared on TN
scene and carried Penelope home a
once.
aIr. uatlln knew what she was VI
to. She was going to cure Penelope
fractured nose by faith and he hat
no faith In such therapy He folnwe'
with Il doctor, demanding At the from
door Ia be admtted-a request whicl
was ignored So he kicked In tn
panels NJ rlle front dnnr. which ne ha
no business 10 do because II was n
longer his. Mrs t'ntlln having acquire
Ii In the property settlement. There
upon she summoned the police by telt
phone and had him arrested and tn
next morning he was tried. found guilt
and placed under bond ~ a thousan
dollars 10 remain away from the plac
for one yenr
He didn't do It, because he kne'
what would happen 10 Penelope IT h
did. And he could afford thuusan
dollars--hft Thousand dollars II nee
be-to prevent that He attaeke
within twenty-fnur hours mt nigls. BIZ
he was quiet about It. He remembers
he had never surrendered his latcl
key. 80 he entered quietly and XII
mapped Penelope.
Within two hours he was arreste
en- route To n San francisco hnsplt
IN a motor car With Penelope For di
nheyInc the magistrate, he was a
Judged guilty OF contempt ~ court.
bond OF thousand dollars forfeited
and he wns sentenced to thirty days
tie county jail. Mrs. iallin prefers
charge OF kidnapping against hil
which Ii felony. and since Mr. Gait
knew he would he tried ON that char