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About The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 20, 1921)
1 . .,- vwwwwiSfcfit,sassrv'i' - Wa4w ,' tr?!M?!5i - - s-j "- yV -' , ' - ' 4 T'- Vl ' - II ) t .. "!' RED CLOUD, NEBRASKA, OHKF i t ' I f I ' f COMRADES OF PERIL r", ' , 'in! By RANDALL PARRISH i i Copyright, A. G. McClnra; end Co. ToCureaColdl in One Day I Take Grove's I Lmxmtlvo I i J 3 'f wi T fa I'll ti m I I'M - I Mr ' IM . wv "YOU I HER HUSBAND?" ' Synopsis. Tom Shelby, a rancher, rides Into tho frontier town -of Ponca, looking for a good time af ter a long spoil of hard work and loneliness on the ranch. Instead, he runs Into a funeral that of Dad Calkins, a retired army man of, whom little Is known. A girl, still In hor teens, survives Calkins. Mc Carthy, a saloon keepor and I'o il ea's leading citizen, decides that the girl, now alone In the world, should marry. Sho agrees to pick out a husband from tho scoro of men lined Up In her home. To his consternation, sho selects Shelby, who had gone along merely as a spectator. Tho wedding takes place and tho couple sot out for Shelby's ranch. With them Is "Kid" Macklln, whom Shelby has Wrod as a hclpor. On the way the girl tells her husbanl her name Is 01i;a Carlyn. and also tells htm something of tho peculiar circum stances of her life. Upon their ar rival at the ranch Shelby Is struck down from behind and left for lead. Ho recovers consciousness to find that Macklln and his wife have gone. Ho starts In pursuit Ho learns his wlfo Is an heiress, that her abduction has boon carefully planned and that sho has been taken to Wolves' IIolo, a strong hold of bandits and bad Indians. Reaching Wolves' Holo, ho Is dls covoted by "Indlnn Joo' and forced to accompany him Into the Holo. CHAPTER VIII Continued. Shelby rode away silently between the two, conscious that this brief con versation hud In no way Improved his position. To be suro he lintl escnped nu Immediate meeting with Hnnley, but the fact that the hitter had entire ly failed to mention his probable nr rival must lmve left nn unpleasant suspicion In Laud's mind. The fellow said nothing, however, nnd apparent ly took no precautions, but Shelby was nevertheless fully nworo that the other watched him cautiously, and would be quick to detect the slightest movement. They rode nt n walk through a darkness so profound that he could not be sure they were even following a trail. The sound of boisterous voices rang out occasion ally, but they bore off steadily toward tho left away from tho noise, nnd he noticed the Mexican hud grasped the bridle of tho buckskin, and was firm ly guiding the nnlinnl. II 11" said Laud suddenly, "I forgot all about the Kid. Wanter see him, Churchill?" "Not speclully ternlght," Shelby ad mitted hastily, "mornln will bo soon enough." "All right, then; 'tnln't much far ther, enyhow. There's 'the high rock, Junn; the llght'll show round the next turn." It did, shining out like n star, and they drove up In front of n log shnck, an odd-shaped, rumbling nffulr, built close In ngalnst n wall of rock. The door opened In respnns6 to the sound of tho horses' hoofs, and a young woman nppcarcd In "the entrance, peer ing forth. "Tlint you, Juan?" sho asked In Spanish. "SI; there are "three of us, Pnnchn," replied the Mexican, "nnd we would eat quickly. Is the senor here?" "Not since noon, Junn. He snld little when ho rodo away, yet there has that occurred I would talk with you about." "'TIs well, llttlo one after we eat there will be time." Lnud swung heavily down from his horse, holding up his rein to Junn, who reinnlned In tho snddle. Ho moved like one whoso limbs were stif fened by being long In one position. "Holy Smoke I I can hardly walk." ho muttered. "I will go along with you to tho corral to teach my legs how to liehnve. And ns for jou, Chu"ch 111," h!s voice deepening on tho word, "go on Into tho cabin, nnd wait there till wo roiuc." I Tin-ret was nothing for Shelby to do but obey. Suspicion caused him to feel n thrill of apprehension from In dian Joe's curt manner, yet there wns nothing In tho words to resent, nnd his only rlmnce of safety Iny In uu outvrnrd npponrunco of satisfaction. The gll drew aside, nnd he stepped forward Into the room. An Instant hti lingered, us he glnneed hastily about at tho plainly furnished Inter ior, then closed the door, nnd began busying herself In arranging tho ta ble. SiitC won young, not over six fn, he Judged, with dark hair and eye. rievldedly pretty, and with a 'quick movement, llko the flight of a bird. Twlco sho passed him on hor Journey to the fire place, without even glancing In Ida direction ; then sudden ly their eyes met, and she laughed out tight Ton Terrs dull, Americano. I not see man like you before," she de clared positively, "You not care talk with me?" "Sure I do," and he straightened up. a thought maybo you couldn't talk my language." "Oh, that eet; yon not speak Span ish, nenorr , "Wellf hardly. I kin make oft In a vv What anybody says, hut when It comes to talking the Hugo, I'm bit rusty." Where yon )arar "When I was la the army, In Ari zona." "I In Arizona once Tucson; you there? Good. You not soldier now?"' "Ob, no; Hint wns quite a whllo ago; that Is why I have forgotten my Spanish. There aren't many of your peoplo up here." Sho shook her head, resting back against tho table, and gazing at him frankly with her dark eyes. "Juan and I all atono here," she confessed. "Eet Is not nice no; I like not these Americanos. You do not look like the senor vat vas ze funny name ho call you?" "Churchill." "Shlrchll bah I I not say eet verrn good. Maybo you hav' somo other name I can say better? You tell mo?" "My given name, you mean; that Is Tom." Sho laughed, shrugging her shoul ders. "Tom I Oh, I know that ; I call you Tom, then. I am I'nncha VUlcmonte. Which you rather say?" "I'nncha, of course; and who Is Juan?" "Junn VUlcmonte; ho Is my broth er ho. You not know hocm, then?" "No; we Just met above. I had lost my way, and wo ran Into each other lWMn I III AofawaW .BBft. "Because I Think You Are Straight." up there. Ho and Indlnn Joe were driving cuttle, and brought me along with them." Her eyes opened wider, and her hands Interlocked. "You not hero before, then? You never In Wolves' holo till now?" "No." "Hut why you come, then? Why they finy you rldo with them? Madre do Dlosl You know what zls place Is?" "Yes, Panchn," he answered soberly, feeling her earnestness. "I know. I enmo to help n woman." "You tell them that? Indian Joe?" "Not Just ns I hnve you ; I let them believe I wns In on tho gnme being played. In fact, I didn't have to sny much of nnythlng, for as soon as I mentioned the nnme of Churchill, Laud seemed to understand. What I failed to moke clear was that my object wns to help her." "Why you tell mo this?" "Because you nro a woman, I guess, and because I think you are straight." Sho stared at him a moment In si lence; then went over and stood with her back against the door. She was breathing hard, nnd her checks were red. "She come from a ranch on the Cot tonwood?" "Yes." Her white teeth gleamed nnrtly be tween the red of her lips. "An' what this woman to yon, so nor? Why you care what happen to her?" Shelby looked frankly Into the girl's face, determined to risk nil, suddenly convinced that this young Mexican had nn interest In his answer beyond any mere curiosity. "Ilocnuso I am her husband," he said quietly. "You I her husband?" She almost screamed tho words, advancing to ward him fiercely. "You not lie to mo l They say to mo you dead I They tell mo that ; they toll her that" "Who told you?" "Macklln; the Indians all tell cot Running Horse, he keel you llko zls, oeol" "Yes, he struck mo all right, Pan cha; at lenat someone did, also they left mo there. Kut I wns not dead." "An what he want of her? What Senor Macklln want of her? You know that?" "I know n little, but perhaps not all. I heard two fellows talking about It; you know them, likely Matt Han ley and Hank Slagln?" 8he nodded. "Hnnley had got Macklln drunk nnd pumped htm. It's some mntter of n big fortune down East. It seems Macklln's real name may bo Churchill, iind.if bo his father Is trustee for ull this property, which really belongs to the woman. Macklln has got an Idea he can marry her and so cop all the coin." "Ho marry her?" "That Is tho way Hnnley understood It" - "Then your namo not Shlrchll?" "No; It's Shelby." "And Senor Macklln his name Shlrchll?" "I reckon likely; I don't know." There wns a sound without nnd she sprang Instnntly aside to tho table, busying herself furiously. Lnud nnd tho Mexican entered, throwing their saddles down noisily Into one corner and without paying the slightest at tention to Shelby, prepared themselves for the meal. To tho rather curt In vitation of the former the rnnchmnn drew up tho bench to the table and Joined them. Pnnchn asked her broth er a few questions, but Indlnn Joe nev er uttered a word until ho had 'eaten his All. Once Shelby caught his eyes looking across at him, but excopt for that one glnnce the fellow seemed oblivious of any other presence. Fin nlly ho pushed back his chair, pulled his feet around to where the butt of n revolver was within easy reach of hia hnnd and his eyes glared straight Into Shelby's face. "nad enough?" "Plenty; Pnnchn lsa good cook." "She Is that. Thought I'd wait till after supper before wo talked busi ness. Now, Churchill, or whatever your namo Is, maybo you'll tell me where you got that bronc with a Three Star brand on him?" CHAPTER IX. The Love of a Woman. Shelby, while cautiously watchful of Laud's every motion, wns yet aware that the girl leaned suddenly against the wall, her face white, her eyes staring toward him, and that Juan wns leaning forward across the table, with gleaming teeth exposed. He was calm enough himself, however, for he had Imagined this unpleasant discov ery might be made and 4wns not en tirely unprepared to meet It. "What brand?" he asked coolly. "You mean the Three Stars?" "That's exactly what I mean.-pnrd-ner. I happen to know where that bronc com' from." "Then you know more than I do, Lnud. I bought the pony from a liv ery man at Gerlusche to ride out here on; somo bucker, nt that Say, come to think about It, those cows you were driving In were Three Stars." "That Is Just what they were, most o' them. That's what struck me as d n funny. Those cattle com' from up on the Cottonwood; thoy belonged to a feller named Shelby." "You run 'em off?" "That's none o' your d n business. That's where they came from, an' Shelby's dead, But what I'm Inter ested In Is how tho h 1 you got his horse." no dropped his gun down on tho tnblo and stared across Into Shelby's Imperturbable face with hard, threat ening eyes. "Now you look here, young fellow, you know who I am, I reckon. It's Indian Joe Laud talkln' to you. May be yer nil right an' maybo yer ain't; only I don't tuko no chances. Your story nln't sounded Just right to me from tho start, but I'll give yer a chance to provo It. I nln't goln' ter plug you now; not If yer've got sense enough to behave yerself. Tomorrow I'll seo what Matt Hanley has to say, but till that time yere goln' to be lock ed up. Coin' ter make any row over that" program?" "Not the least" "All right, then. Junn, you tnke the gent's gun; he's better off without it. Thnt's right; now feel him over an' see -If he's got any other weapons. Bo'ter stand up, Churchill." Tea rnnchmnn, comprehending the utter futility of any attempt ct resist ance, did as ho wns told, mnnnglng to retain the snmo cool smile on his lips, Tho murderous ees of the squnw mnn never onco deserted his fnce and Shelby rcnllzcd that the slightest symp tom of treachery would prove his uu-. doing. Laud was In no mood to be' argued with. "Nice of you to wnlt until after I'd eaten," he said easily. "It will give mo n comfortable night's rest." "filad you take It that way. Clcun cd him tip, have you Juan? Now, how about that room yonder? Empty, ain't It?" "Si, senor," It was Pancha who an swered, opening tho door. Laud took a step forward and glanced Into tho apartment Tho swift scrutiny apparently satisfied him, for ho turned to the prisoner, his revolver still grasped In readiness for Instant action. "Go on In," he commanded harshly. 'An' tomorrow we'll settle this case." Shelby walked past him without so much ns a aide glance, to all itutward nppenrnnce quite at hie ease. laMid closed the doer ens' tie prisoner beexd him securo it with a stout wooden bar. He stood there motionless, en deavoring to collect his thoughts, the smile no longer on his lips, ad Justing his eyes to the darkness. There was a window high up, but seemingly too smalt for the passage of his body, yet a Blight glenm of stnr llght found Its wny through tho open ing, which was further barred by two stout wooden stakes. He stepped si lently ucross and tested them, finding them solidly embedded In the togs. He felt his way cautiously about the room, wlilch wns of smnll dimensions, con taining only a single stool, and n cot; the floor was puncheon and the walla of log, heavily plastered with mud. The place offered apparently no op portunity for escape, and Shelby sat down on tho edge of the cot discour aged. He could distinguish the voices of the three without plainly enough to determine who was speaking, but their words were Indistinguishable. Then the murmur finally ceased, nnd be thought ono of the men had left the house, perhaps both, yet thnt wns hardly likely. Someone remained cer tainly, for there was movement, nnd the sound of feet, mingled with the clink of dishes. Pnnchn wns evidently clearing off tho table. His thought centered on her. Hnd he mudc a mis tnke In thus suddenly confiding his true story to her ears? Yet so far ns he knew, sho hnd said nothing to In-" Jure htm, and had mnde no effort to reveal his secret Indeed her actions hnd rather expressed fenr of Lnud, nnd n certain sympathy for hlra ; sure ly thnt wns what ho had read In the depths of her eyes. Yet how could this bo accounted for? She must cer tainly be one with these others; brought up probably .from childhood fn the atmosphere of crime, nnd cer inlnly loynl to her brother, if nothing else. Whnt then could possibly Influ ence her to show him tho slightest consideration? ' He sat with head In his hands, en deavoring to solve the mystery, nnd, out from the dork, a possible explana tion flashed into his mind Macklln. Could any relation she might have with this fellow account for a desire to wish his escape alive? It might; tho fact that he was already the hus band, of the woman Macklln planned to marry would quite naturally ex plain the entire situation under cer tain conditions. If that rascal had made love to her, and now deliberate ly planned to desert her for another,' the Spanish blood would account for all the rest By heaven; thnt must be It! He recalled the Insistence of her questioning; the flash of her eycs, the threatening glenm of her white teeth. Unconsciously he hnd touched tho secret spring, and unloosed the ti ger. Jealousy wns the wenpon a love turned to hate, the fury of a woman scorned. To get Olga out of her path forever, she would risk nnythlng, dare nnythlng. Here then, was his one and only chance. But could the girl serve him, even If she desired to do fa'o? Ho realized the seriousness of his position; his helplessness Without somo outside aid. Ho had bcen-a blind fool to venture Into this den alone; nnd oven a blind er fool to claim friendship with Han ley. The morning would find him com pletely exposed, and he had little doubt what forui vengeance would ns- "Tomorrow We'll 8ettle Thle Ca." sumo at tho hands of these men. Ho was llko a condemned man In his cell waiting helplessly for tho certain hour of execution. Worse than that, even; for his futo must Inevitably seal also the fate of his wife. Her only chance of rescue lay In his efforts, and he was helpless. Sucre waa not a thing he could do; Set he tried again and anln desperately, testing the punch- eooa of the flew, block bjr. slock, dig- iT5m glng at the dried mud between the Idgs of the wall; endeavoring to gnln seme leverage upon the binges of the door, nnd tugging once again furious ly nt those wooden suites protecting the nnrrow window. Ills fingers bled from the frantic effort to thus loosen something, to yield him nn opportuni ty to really exert his strength. These efforts were utterly useless; there was not a spot of weakness to be discov ered, if the place had been originally constructed ns n prison It could not have been more securely built. Men tally and physically exhausted, he flung himself upon the floor, and lay there, quivering from bend to foot, with nerves completely shuttered. The silence became ghastly; any sound would hnve been n relief. There was no one moving about even In thnt other room, nnd the door between fitted too closoly for him to perceive any gleam of light. He listened Intently, holding ills breath, but bis head sank back onco more In dejection. Why In God's name hadn't he fought It out like a man? Why had he ever permit ted himself to be thus caught like a trapped rat? The frenzy of disgust he felt caused him to sit up nnd stare once more nt the single star shining through the window. What wns thnt? A shndowl Surely something out yon der moved I S"llently, cautiously, he stepped on the stool, and looked out between the burs, his heart beating like a drum. At first ho saw nothing, the blood seem ing to stand still us he gazed then the fingers of a hand grasped one of the wooden bars, and n face rose slowly Just In front of his own. A whisper revealed tho Identity of his "Senor, come quietly to window ; do not speak loud." y "Pancha, you I You would talk wltlj me, then?" "I must know some things, senor; I must be sure," she snld fiercely. "You tell me tonight the truth, senor; you not lie to me." "Not a single word," he assured her eagerly, his heart beginning to beut with new hope, his face advanced un til only the burs divided them. "I" trusted you." You nro Senor Shelby?" "Yes." "And she, this woman, la your wife?" "Yes." "Sho Is pretty woman, verra pretty; you not mnrrled long?" "No, only a few days; we hnd Just come to the ranch when she was luk en away." "But, senor, why she go nwny If she bo Just married like you sny? Why she leave you, un' run off with Senor Macklln? Site love hecm better than you?" "Love him I Sho did not run off. Ho stole her, he nnd four Indiana, after leaving ine for dead." ' "He not tell eet to me like thut; he say she wont to mnrry heem. nn' not you. Thut he took her to save her from you; thut she would not let heem lenve her. Then you fight, nn' so got keeled." Shelby lnughetl softly. "So that wus Macklln's story, wns It? Well, it is not exactly true. I nln't saying she's fn love with me, or nothln' like that, hut she suro don't hanker none nfter thnt chap. I'll tell yer why he took her cause she's got a bunch o money comln' her wny down east thnt Macklln would like to get his hands on." "He many her?" "Thnt's his gume, no doubt, If It works. If not, he'll evolve some other. I don't think he gives it cuss how It's (j0I e . h sets It ho nnd his pre cious father." She stared nt him with lips pnrted. "Mnybo I seo It more clenr now," she exclaimed. "He not love Iter, then; he Just wnnt her money, bah I I care not how ho get thnt, If lie not got her. You tuko her away, Senor Shelby, where ho never seo her again?" "Of course." "An' you keep her married to you?" "I'll do tho best I can. Whnt do you menn, Pancha? Can you get us out of here?" "You lie hid, Senor, and trust all to me." ITO DK CONTINUED.) The Wonder of Eggs. Ono cannot find among the multitude of wonders In nature anything moro marvelous than the development of nn egg, writes Elsa O. Allen In the American Forestry Mngnzlne. Wheth er It be u buttcrtly which nourishes for n day only to die after depositing, Its eggs, or a reptile which lazily leaves Its eggs with only the warm sand to mother them, or u nan, like the salmon, Which, with incredible strength, jumps the rapids to spawn In the upper, reaches of rivers, or most appealing of all, a bird which builds a beautiful, nest fof Us treasures, the egg in every1 case Is structurally the same, and the miracle ef life unfolds according; to. the same laws of. eeM dlvlsloa, 1 Br onto n Quinine tablet Be sure its Bromo wo 6h& ZTCW The tfcnulno bears this signature 30c, No More Misery After Eating Just Takom An Eatonto "Tho first dose of Entonlc did me wonders. I tuke It at meals and am no longer bothered with Indigestion," writes Mrs. Ellen Harris. Thousands of people, llko this dear lady, gratefully testify about Entonlc, which does Its wonders by taking up nnd carrying out the excess acidity and gases which bring on indigestion, heartburn, bloating, belching and food repenting. Acid stomach also causes about seventy other non-organic ail ments. Protect yourself. A big box of Eatonlc costs but a trlflo with your druggist's gunruntce. WATCH THE BIG 4 Stomach -KidneyaHeart-Uver Keep the vital organs healthy by regularly talcing the world's stand ard remedy for kidney, liver, bladder and uric acid trouble COLD MEDAL minniM The National Remedy of Holland fee centuries and endorsed by Qaeen Wuhet taint. At all druggist, thraa aires. Look for the nun GoM MkUI on tj ba and accept Ma Imltelton Ju.tr?j5s: du eour ua i will . una inu IWHWID too. xoa aan'C mzmmm pt on penny nntil It h aZ Uttredtoroar door by U pottnta. Army Navy. For Man orWtmtn This U artel hMVjr wiottr waiter. made of heavy mlied merino Tarn. 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Fairy Sodas are preferred for every cracker osa Ask Ycix focir far ITEMS Fairy Seta jand be sure you get the genuine. W, N. U LINCOLN, NO. 3-1021. ISrysodaII t 4f w lp 'fc. "V.rs !
