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About The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923 | View Entire Issue (March 3, 1921)
RED OLOUD. NEBRASKA, CHIEF COMRADES rkP1I S3 Wit tTKll RANDALL CbpyZGIT JLGfeC.C3G & C( CHAPTER XIII Continued. 14 The burden prow perceptibly heav ier ns they tolled upward, and several times they put Macklln down, while they flung themselves on tho rocks to regain breath for a fresh effort. Tho nltttudc beKan to nffect OlRn, her heart Lentlng rapidly from exertion, but who struKglcd on, determined not to yield. Shelby, noting the whiteness of her face, Insisted on frequent periods of rest, so that they must have been nioro' thnn an hour In attaining tho rock platform abutting on tho cave. Get ting Mncklin's helpless body over that last high stone rampart proved to bo the most dlfllcult task of all, and was only accomplished by sheer strength. Khclhy, hanging downwnrd, with limbs braced ngalnst tho rock, ami slowiy drawing the Inert body up by the mus cles of his onus, assisted to some ex tent by tho efforts of tho girl beneath. Onco safely behind the cover of tho tono parapet, they lay panting with exhaustion. However this was a bodily weari ness soon ministered unto. Shelby, refusing to let Olga attempt any more, drew the wounded man hack Into tho greater security of tho'cuve, and mado him as comfortable as possible. Then, although still breathing heavily him self, he hastily gathered together what food remained from his store of tho day before, and took this out to share with her. They sat In tho open Just outside tho narrow entrance to the cave, where, by lifting their heads, they could look over tho parapet Into the deep chasm of tho valley. It had begun to Know, In large, swirling flakes, thickly enough to blot out com pletely the scene beneath, leaving them perched high above Its vortex, as though they lived In another world. The whlto curtain gave them n senso of Isolation, of security, which helped Immeasurably to restore their courage. They were beyond all probability of pursuit, free from Immediate peril; phut off from discovery. All that re mained was to wait patiently the re turn of Panchn with help. The wind kept the platform free from snow, hurling It down Into tho deep gorge, powdering the trail they hud Just trav eled, and thus completely obliterating any signs of their passnge. Yet the gray gloom weighed heavily on the girl. "How long will It tnko her?" Bhe asked. "Pancha? Oh, she con hardly get hack before lute tonight. It Is a hard ride, even If she meets with no acci dent." "You do not think she will attempt to return alone?" "Not If she brings tho doctor. I nald nothing, for I did not believe It necessary. He will never vonturo Into this Hole without an escort, and a reasonably strong one. I am hoping she encounters some party out scout , Ing which will make n trip to fler- lascho unnecessary. Since the fight out yonder, troops must be searching the Had Lands for renegade Indians. They would only be too glad to dis cover some guldo who would lead them bore." "Hut surely they know of this place?" "They know of It; yes, In a way. They possess full Information as to Its existence, nut to get In here Is quite another matter. Without a competent guldo they might hunt for weeks and, If they did discover the trail through Homo accident, the game would bo gone. Only n sudden dash will ever round that outfit up ; they will have to be hit front and rear, and with no small force no looked out Into the cloud of nnow, seeking vainly to penetrate tho curtain. "The Lord only knows how many savage devils there are down there now," he said soberly. "I don't think there was much of a bunch when I drat came In mostly white outlaws, cattlo thieves and scum of that kind'; but since the tight Indians have been coming, a slew of 'em, young bucks who got away. They'll b6 desperate and crazed. What was that? That nolso?" "It came from the cave. Perhaps It was Macklln." They were both upon their feet, startled by the strange sound. Shelby bent down and crept In through tho entrance. CHAPTER XIV. The Story of a Plot it was Macklln, burning with fevor, delirious, yet partially conscious one more, uttering sounds which could hardly be distinguished ns words, and struggling vainly to lift his body Into an upright position. Through the dusk of the place he stared dully Into Shel by's face, at first without recognition ; then his eyes exhibited terror and ho endeavored to wrench away, cowering back against ths rock wall, as though II I Iw) AaaF he beheld a ghost. The horror lit! felt guve volume to his voice. "Good Oodl" he shrieked. "Am I dead? Is this hell?" "No, Kid," nnd Shelby held him firm ly, his tone full of sympathy, "every thing Is all right. Llo still nnd don't worry." "Hut who the h 1 aro you? Ain't you Tom Shelby?" ho laughed wildly. "Lord, no; he's dcadl" "That Is where you aro wrong, my boy. I'm Shelby all right, but a long ways from being dead." "You, Shelby? Didn't he get you?" "Well, yes, he got mo, but not quite strong enough. I failed to stay got. You lie down, and be still. Here, take a drink of this." Tho fellow did ns he was ordered, his hands slinking so that Shelby had to hold tho bottle to his lips. Even as he drank greedily, his eyes never de sorted the other's faco; until the girl, creeping silently up behind, camo also Into his range of vision. Her presence seemed to give him a senso of reality. "Say, this Is too much for me," he said huskjly, but lying back quiet, "the two of yer hero. Just what's happened enyhow? It was Pancha, wasn't It, who hauled me out o' that cabin. Well, Where's Pancha? an' what tho h 1 Is this place I'm In?" "Let me tell him, Tom," broke In Ol ga, pressing forwnrd, and lifting his head Into her lap. "He will bcllevo me, and he Is afraid of you yet You can hear what I say, Mr. Macklln?" He nodded, gasping, his eyes on her face. "Then listen closely. It will only tnke a moment to explain. You were shot" "Yes, yes," ho stuttered, "I know; she did It." "Oh, you saw, then, who fired. It was all a mistake, and she was so sorry. Tho bullet was meant for In dian Joe Laud, but you stepped In the way." "Pancha tried to kill Laud?" "Yes; It wns all on account of me. You you carried me off because you believed I had the right to some mon ey, didn't you?" His eyes brightened, but still with the dull glow of fever In them. "Sure; you got It comln', too. But what's thnt got to do with Joe Laud? He wasn't noway hooked up on this game." "Oh, yes, ho was. I'll explain all that. You told something to a man named Matt Hanley once." "Mel mnbo I did, when wo wns drunk tergether over at Gerlnsche. I'd Just found out 'bout It then. Hut he never remembered Hanley didn't." "Yes, he did, nnd he kept wntch on you ever since; ho and a fellow, Sin uln. They were somewhere up the val ley the night you brought mu In here, and they knew whnt was up. They followed, meaning to get you put out of the way somehow, so they could get hold of mo themselves. I guess thoy didn't have brains enough to make It. I don't know exactly what happened, but after Slugln got killed" "II 1 was that what that guy came to the cabin for?" "We suppose so; nt least that was what caused Hanley to tell the story to Indian Joe Laud, nnd get him to take n hand. Thoy tried to get the Mexican, Pnncha's brother, to help them, but something brought on a J quarrel, und Laud killed him. An In. dlnn boy told Pancha, and sho went crazy over you both. That was what brought her to the cabin." "An that oV devil come there to get me, did he?" "Yes, but first ho tried to learn all be could; things Hanley didn't know, so he could make the Job worth while. Then Pancha tried to shoot him, und got you." Ho struggled to speak. "Say, lift me up n little more. That's It; something seems to fill up in my throat. You sura she didn't hear noth In' I said there 'bout leavln' her, un' mnrryln' you?" "I know she didn't." "Lord, I'm sure glad o' that I sorter thought that was what she plugged mo for; thnt would bo the Mex of It; they're h 1 on that sort o' thing. I Hko her, she's n good scout. Why ain't she hero? Where is she now?" "Sho has gone for a doctor; went down Into tho Hole to get a horso to ride." "Where Is she goln'T' "Gerlnsche; there's an army sur geon there." "Yes, I know," wearily, "an' where you got me?" "In a small cave part way up the bluff." "Sure, Eagle's cave. Pancha took mo up yero onct, an' bhowed It to me. An' you two lugged me all that ways?" "Yes." He struggled to force back the ob struction In his throat. "Well, what did you do that for?" ho asked almost savagely. "That's what I don't get through my nut. 1 ain't done nuthln' to make either one of yer decent ter me. I thought Shelby hero was doadcr'n a doornail, an' I reckon you know what I was almtn' ter do with you. There ain't no use bcntln' about tho bush. So now, whnt'd yer do It for?" Shelby's hand reached out and touched that of his wife. "Well, Kid, I'll tell yon," he said frankly, "we did It for Pancha." Macklln grinned grimly, exposing nls teeth. "I reckoned that was 'bout the truth," ho said recklessly. "Hut I'll tell yer ono thing Paucha's never goln' ter get back before I slide out. I got what's comln' to me, nn' there ain't no doc ever goln' ter hold me back from goln' that's straight, ol man." "I'm not so sure, Kid." "Well, I am. Lord, a man gen erally knows when he's got his dose, I reckon; an' It nlu't goln' ter do no body no good fer me ter keep my lips shut. Say, Indy, you let your man put his shoulder back o' me, an' hoist me up higher. There, now maybe I cun get this thing off my chest." "You want to explain something?" "Suro; didn't I tell you. I ain't goln' ter leave this gamo wide open fer Indian Joe to cash In on. You been decent to me, an' I'll play white as I can." Ho spoko slow, hesltntingly, ns though his, mind wnndcred, stopping every moment or two for breath. Once he coughed sharply, an expression of pain on his face, but he went grimly on. "I'd been on considerable of a bat down there, an was soberln' up. You know the Custer house?" "Yes; the old hotel." , "Well, It ain't no palace; you could throw a cat through them partitions In places; an' I woke up to hear a couple o' guys talkln' In the next room. Furst I didn't care what they was say In', an' then I begun to take an Inter est Seems one of 'em wns a lawyer from Kansas City, or Omaha; an' tho other gazabo was a rich guy from down East, who wns huntln' n niece who had disappeared out In this coun trythe name was Churchill " "Is your nnnic Churchill?" "Mine! Not In a thousand years. Thnt was all a lie. Well, as near as I could got hold of the story, this yere girl's mother was nursln' In Richmond durln' the war, an' fell In love with a Yank an' married him. She never know'd sho was no heiress, an didn't dare go home 'cause she'd married a Yank. Her peoplo didn't get on to It for a long while, an' then, I reckon, they didn't get the story straight. Maybe they didn't try very hard anyhow she'd, dropped plum outer sight Later they found out somehow that she'd married a regular army offi cer, named Carlyn, nn' gone West with him. I dunuo Just what delayed 'em after that, but afore they got these folks located the woman died, leavln' a little girl, an' her husband he was a colonel by that time put her Into a Catholic school. Meanwhile, the colo nel got on to some extent nn' began to make Inquiries down East; but, be foro he accomplished much, he got mixed up ono night In a street fight down In Sherldun, an' would bnve been killed If It hndn't been for a ser geant ho had with him named Cal kins. He got him homo alive, but ho croaked lator. That left the kid ulone nt school, but these folks didn't know where." , "It was In St. Louis." "Sure, they found out later, but by 1 that time she'd gone. This yero old sergeant, Calkins, had come with a "I Cot What's Comln' to Me." power of attorney, or something, an' got her out That's where I furst be gun to get real Interested after this fellow Calkins got Into the game. I'll tell yer why I got It Into my nut that maybe I'd hit a hot trail, where, If It panned out nil right, there might be some boodle In It for me. I run steers for the XL about four months once, and wo used to drive Into Ponca to blow ourselves. I knowed there was an ol' fellow hangln' 'round there, In McCarthy's placo mostly, a sorter tin horn sport thoy, called 01' Dad Calk ins; nn' I'd heard somewhero he had a glrlllvin' with him 'bout seventeen, or so. Somehow I got to mullln' over this, nn' finally decided to see whnt kind of a lead I'd struck. It looked like easy money, If she was tho girl, an' didn't know jet what was up" 0MJPWak 1 L "You went to Ponca for that pur pose?" "Just prospectln like. Thom othet two guys went off somewhere else, an' so I had easy sallln'. I couldn't get next the girl nt all. I reckon she never left the shack ; but I got a look at her, an It wasn't no trouble to pick up nn acquaintance with Old Dad. He was tight-mouthed, though, drunk or sober, an' finality I had to throw the fear of God Into him to make him spill." "You mean you threatened him?" "Yepi I never supposed it would shake the guts out of him the way It did, though. The old fool went plum bntty when I told him what I knowed. He thought I was after him a detec tive, or something an' ho Just crum bled up, without mnkln' no fight nt all. I reckon he'd been liltllti her so long, he Just naturally got it Into his nut he wns guilty of soino crime. Enyhow, the next thing I knowed, he'd gone out back of the dance hall an' shot him self." Ho stopped, shaken by n paroxysm of coughing. Shelby held him tightly, and finally this passed away, the man resting weakly on his anus, but with mind evidently wandering. "I used to talk all right," he whis pered hoarsely, gasping for breath, "an' I could warble some, too. Suy, did you ever hear me slug?" "Yes, Kid, I've heard you." "Sure, you did. Everybody snld I had a wonderful voice. Trouble with me Is I never ain't had no show. If I could'cr got started in opera. I'd never been out yere getting plugged by no Mex woman. It's hell, ain't It? Hut, say; where was I, enyhow?" "You Just explained why Calkins killed himself." "Oh, yes, that's It. Well, o' course I felt bad about the ol' man, but it wasn't no fault o' mine. Then It seemed like his shuflllu' off put the cards right In my hands. It sure proved sho wns the girl an' now she wns left plum alone, It didn't look no awful hard Job for me to shine up un' mnrry her, before enybody else got wise. Say, I had It all figured out when you an' Dan McCarthy horned In on that fool stunt of yours, an' knocked my game galley-west. Then I cottoned onto that Job with you. I didn't nlin to stay out there punchln' steers, but Just thought I'd see how things turned out. I sorter figured It this way the girl Mie didn't core nothln for you; she Just married yer ter get out er there, an' hav' some place ter live; an' maybe, out there on the Cottonwood, I could make love to her, nn' some day we'd skip out together. That's as far as I went nt furst, an' goln' out over them prairies, I got It Into my head that she didn't have no objection to a little' flirtation. I was feelln' quite foxy about It when we got to the ranch." The lashes drooped low over Olga's eyes, and her cheeks burned. "Then I reckon the devil must er took charge o' the game, for the min ute I wns le,ft alone out there I run Into a bunch o' Indian cattle thieves. I knew two of 'cm for they were out of the Hole here, an' all at onct, it struck me I might Just ns well hnve the Job over with. I took It she didn't care about you, un' thut u little strong arm stun! would pun out all right. It works with most women. I didn't hnve no notion then of bumping you off, Shelby, but the buck who took thnt Job cracked you good nn' hard. Well, that makes tho whole story, don't it?" He Mint his eyes, Ills bend falling back In completu exhaustion. Only his labored breathing proved that Mack lln still lived. Olga held him motion less In her lap, bending over and soft ly smoothing hack his hair with one hand. Shelby left them there, creep ing out through the entrance onto the rock platform without It had censed snowing, but enough had fallen to cover the bluff with n white mantle, obliterating the trail, ond leaving tho vnlley below covered. The sky arched over all dull nnd gray. Shelby hung out over tho ledge, wntchfully studying tho view out spread beneath. It was a peaceful scene enough, with scarcely a moving figure visible; He could hardly real lze that this woa tho haunt of out laws, where 011I7 2 few hours before he had been desperately struggling for life. The dnyllght revealed no sign of disorder or pursuit, the only re minder of what had occurred being the blackened ruins of tho burned cabin almost directly below. Yet this wus deserted nnd the snow about appeared untrampled. The sight gave him hope, yet he felt strangely depressed and unnerved. Tho remembrance of tho scene Just witnessed could not bo enst off. Ho had no reason to question the truth of that occasion and' it hud Impressed him strongly. Mncklln wus evidently dying; wus ulready beyond help. Any breuth might prove to be his last, nnd It wus even then too Inte for any doctor to save him. Hut would Pancha return In time to nsslst them? Would she bring sufficient help with her? In splto of the ominous quiet' below ho felt no faith that Indian Joe would so euslly abandon their trail. Ho wus not that kind. Something would assuredly arouse his suspicion that they hud not perished in tho flames. Indeed, that could bo easily ascertained by a search of the debris, and tho perturbed ranchman was far from being satisfied that Pancha alone knew of this secret trail. Why, Macklln stated he had himself been up as far as the cavo; und It was scarcely likely It had been entirely overlooked so long by these others tho Indians certainly must hnve acuired every Inch of these 'bluffs at one time or an othor. Something, for the moment, I may hnve drawn aside suspicions of his escuDft, yet those devils would track Mm down. The convtctlori haunted him. He drew back Just In time. There wns the sharp crack of a rifle; a bul let chipped the outer edge of the para pet, and a little puff of smoke curled up away to tho left' and vanished against the leaden sky. Shelby fell flat on his fuce and crept backward, seeking Instinctively tho protection of nn overhanging rock, his eyes Instant ly marking thut vngyo splrul of smoke. He had guessed right Indlnn cunning had nlready leurned the truth und hud found means of approach unknown even to the Mexlcnn girl. Somewhere In the security of those rocks, keen eyes were watching every movement, suviigely eager to end ull by some well directed shot. Yet, with the chug of the bullet, ull depression left him. Ho knew now what he had to fuce; that narrow platform must be defended, for hours probably, revolvers pitted against rifles; himself alone ngulust un unknown number of nssnllnuts. It ma "Stay Back!" He Ordered Sternly. mount caution ns well ns bravery, the quick wit of a whlto raun outgeneral Ing snvage treachery. Even as he rolled over, so as to cautiously lift his head, the "45" was Jerked from Its holster nnd rested rendy In his hand. He heard Olga at tho cave entrance. "Stay back I" he ordered sternly. "Don't venture out here yet." "Hut whnt Is It? I heurd a shot." "Yes; they have found us ull right Hand me another gun; I muy need it Did Macklln have one?" "Yes; It is still at his belt." "Get It, and with whatever cart ridges he may have. This Ih going to he a light at short runge. How Is the fellow?" "I I am sure he must be dying, Tom," she snld breuthlcssly. "He scarcely breathes any more. Isu't there uny way I cun help?" "Only by doing whnt I nsked; get his gun. This Is hound to he some light I don't know how many ure out there; tho bird who shot nt mo Is be hind that rock yonder; he's Indlnn nil right; you ran glimpse his scalploek Just over the edge. If he would only shove his nut up ubout half nn Inch more I'd show him that a '4.7 uln't such a bad weapon, when you know how to use It." He advanced, his revolver barrel across the top, ond lay motionless, sighting along the smooth steel. "Now, boy, 5011 do thut ngnln. Can't make out exnetly where I have gone, enn you? Well, you are going to find out In about a minute." Ills grip tightened. "Ah I there you nrel" His finger pressed the trigger, send ing forth n hpurt of flume. A brawny red urm wus flung up, the bund grip ping ut the rock for support; then n rifle went crushing down into the chasm and the next instant nn Indian whirled head downwnrd, the body striking a narrow ledge and bouncing off Into spnee. Three shots answered the cruck of the revolver, so swiftly as to seem echoes, the bullets striking the solid rock wall, one, crushed out of nil shape, dropping directly in front of Olga, crouching In the entrance. Shelby laughed, but with eyes stern und watchful. "Three more located," ho said pleas antly. "Seem to havo us pretty well trapped. I'd like to know how they got up here without using the trull. I thought you were goln' after that ex tra gun?" "I oin, Tom, but I enn't stay In there. I want to bo out here with you." "Why I ain't In n mite o' danger, llttlo girl. Those reds can't shoot through this rock. All I got to do Is llo here quiet an' take 'era on tho Jump." "Hut suppose they rush In on you?" "It don't hardly look reasonable. Still, o' course, thoy might try 'It, If they got a white lender. Indians never would themselves; it's Uuble to cost too henvy." (TO BB CONTINUED.) "Kino's Tobacco Pipe." This Is a popular nlcknnmo for a pccullnrly shaped kiln or furnace In the northeast corner of tho tobacco warehouse belonging .to the London docks. Here contrnband goods, such as tobacco, cigars and ten, which had been smuggled In, wero burned. Seized and unclaimed goodH aro now sold at periodical sales, or distributed among public Institutions, but dnmnged and worthless goods are still burned. ONE NEIGHBOR TELLS ANOTHER Point the Way to Comfort and Health. Other Women Please Read Moundsvillc, W. Va. "I had take doctor's medicine for nearly two year because my periooa wero Irregular, cam every two week and 1 wouia miner with bearing-down nainn. A ladv told mo of Lydia E. Pink ham's Vegetable Compound and how much good it had dono her daughter, so I took it and now I am regular every month and have no pain at all. I recommend your medi cine to everyone and you may publish my testimonial, hoping thnt the Vege table Compound docs somo other girl the good it has dono me. 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