Fair play. [volume], December 25, 1920, Image 6

About Fair play. [volume] (Ste. Genevieve [Mo.]) 1872-1961

Image provided by: State Historical Society of Missouri; Columbia, MO

                
FAIR PLAY. STE. pENEVIEVE, MISSOURI.
.0
MRADES
of rzrui
PERIL
BANDALLI
PAR.R.ISH
"OLGA CARLYN."
Synopsis. Tom Shelby, a rancher,
rldea into the frontier town of
I'onca looking for a Rood time
after a Ions spell of hard work
and loneliness on the ranch. In
stead, he runs Into a funeral that
of Dad Calkins, a retired army
man of whom little 1 known. A
Slrl, still In her teens, survives
Calkins. McCarthy, a saloon keep
er and I'onca's leading citizen, de
cides that the elrl, now alone In
the world, should marry. Shelby
starts a hunt for eligible husbands
and the minister goes to confe'
with the Klrl. She ajrrees to pick
a husband from the score of men
lined up In her home. To his con
sternation, she selects Shelby, who
had gone alons merely as a spec
tator. He declines the honor. In
dignant, the girl dismisses the as
semblage, loiter Shelby goes back
to make nn explanation. She re
ceives him Kood-nnturedly. Leav
InR her, Shelby runs Into two of
the rejected suitors, and In a flsllt
worsts' them both. Angered at
their remarks, he returns to the
Klrl, detet mined to marry her. If
she will hnvo him. After his ex
planation she agrees to marry him.
CHAPTER V.
4
The Wedding.
ft was an I'XceeiHiiKly busy afler
nonn, so tilled with derails nf prepara
tion as to leave Shelby sllprlit oppor
tunity for reflection, lie had never
contemplated marriage, or IinaRlned
himself a benedict, lie knew practi
cally nothing ns to the disposition and
character of the girl or what she might
require of himself. He bud no con
ception that he loved her or that she
felt any especial affection for him.
His sudden action had been very large
ly Influenced by his controversy with
Oowan and she had quite frankly con
fessed that her choice of blm rested
entirely on the fact that he was not
a resident of Ponca. There had been
no mention of love between them,
merely u huines-llke ui ningomeiit,
unmarked by the slightest sentiment.
He was dimly aware that this made a
poor foundation on which to build for
future happiness.
This peculiar situation was driven
home to him by a vivid recollection
nf what be was going to take her to
that desolate ranch out there on t lie
Cottonwood. Could she he satisfied?
Could she even bear with such condi
tions? Ho saw McCarthy and the preacher
from liiitTnlo (lap, llrit telling them
frankly the whole story and gravely
pledging both to secrecy. Refusing
firmly to receive a cent of the money
which .Mac promptly offered, be left
these two to arrange, all details for
the wedding, confident of their discre
tion and good judgment. There was
no necessity for his seeing the girl
again, and, Indeed, he felt no inclina
tion to do s-o. lie een shrank from
(lie thought of seeing her, and was
profoundly thankful that everything
was so completely understood be
tween them as to make another con
ference entlrelv unnecessary. Satisfied
upon this point, lie devoted the time
remaining at hi disposal to purchas
ing the variety of articles made nec
essary by this sudden change In life.
The liuckbonnl was loaded until noth
ing remained unoccupied but the nar
row seat, a huge bo. packed full, oc
cupying the rear portion, with bun
dles tied seeurcly here and there
about the vehicle, wherever tlipy would
ride safely. (Her all these he stretch
ed a tarpaulin to keep our the dust,
strapping the latter firmly Into place.
The solemn injunction to secrecy
had prevented I'oncn from making
this occasion one of special celebra
tion, but, nevertheless, rumor had
been siilllclently busy so us to prevent
aiiv .strictly private ceremony. The
parlor of the hotel was already crowd
ed with uninvited guests when he fin
ally arrived and there was nlso an
overflow meeting In the adjoining din
ing room, Shelby swore under his
brenth, hut It was too late to protest
outwardly, lis the nrlile-to-he was al
ready waiting his arrival at the foot
of the stairs.
In spite of the doubts which had
assnlled him during the past few
hours, the sight of her thus awaiting
bis coming, ber eyes meeting bis own
frankly, sent a sudden thrill through
his veins. She was chaperoned by the
wife of the principal storekeeper and
doubtless others among the few re
spectable women of I'oucu had com
bined their taste and possessions to
properly fit ber out for the occasion.
Just how the transformation bad been
accomplished Shelby, being n man woe
fully lacking In experience, did not
Know, but he was vividly aware of
the change In her nppenrance and
manner. She was dressed In gray,
the outer garment plainly j&sliloned
hut fitting well.Mvhlle n most becoming
hat, rather coquettish In Its shape,
rested on soft.-nliltilng hair, fluffed
out attractively, forming a most agree
able frame for the young fnce. the
Cheeks flushed with excitement. Shel
by stood before her tongue-tied, unable
to find words of greeting, painfully
conscious of his own awkwardness.
The embarrassment, however, was but
for the Instant, for the preacher hail
been waiting his entrance, eager to
begin the ceremony.
What occurred daring the next few
moments was never wholly clear In
Shelby's mind. He did mechanically
whatever he was told, but without
comprehension. He remembered walk
ing between rows of curious faces, oc
casionally recognizing a familiar
countenance, clear ncross that crowded
parlor to the further wall, which
seemed to he decorated profusely with
sprays of evergreen. He seemed to
recall that the girl Joined him, stand
ing at his left, and that she had ad
vanced to his side guided by Dan Mc
Carthy. It was all vague, misty, un
certain, and the next moment all he
saw was the fleshy figure of the Buf
falo Gap preacher standing there Im
mediately before him, his hands up
lifted and his sonorous voice uttering
words that sounded like a prayer.
Then Pan came forward again and
he felt ber band resting In bis, real
izing how soft and small It was. He
remembered a question was asked blm
and he answered "yes" and then he
seemed to hear ber whisper a similar
response. The preacher said some
thing, using some strange words, and
turning once to face the silent crowd
pressing close In upon them ; then be
lifted his hands solemnly and Shelby
caught the sentence, "I pronounce you
husband and wife and whom God
hath joined together, let no man put
asunder."
There was nn explosion of breath,
a faint clapping of hands, nn Instant
buzz of tongues. He felt that he must
have shaken bands with a thousand
people; was pushed here and there
by the efforts made to reach him and
finally, bewildered, bis mind in a
whirl, found himself once more out
In the hall, obsessed with a desire to
escape. lie possessed no Idea ns to
whnt had become or the girl; no doubt
she was somewhere back there In the
cruh, but he, at least, was free, and
would wait for her to Join him out
sldp. He stood there alone, staring down
ut the team of broncos and the heavllv
laden buckboard uncomprebenllingly.
Yet slowly it all came back and his
mind began to arouse from blank
stupor. His attention wa-s attracted
by the approach of a horseman trnt
Ing steadily up the deserted street to
ward the hotel. The rider was a cav
alry soldier In uniform, powdered
with dust, his horse showing evidences
of bard travel.
Shelby watched bis coming curious
ly, his memory still lingering upon the
scone within. The man drew up at
the hotel, dropped his rein over the
horse's bead, swung stlllly to the
ground and advanced up the steps.
lie glanced nslde at Shelby's motion
less figure, look n step toward the
door and then wheeled suddenly.
"Suy, ain't your name Shelby?"
The dazed bridegroom turned and
looked Into the face confronting blm,
his mind snapping back Into quick
recognition.
"Sure. Well, thunder, you're Shnu
nessy of the Sixth. What'ro you do
ing here?"
The two clnsped bands firmly,
"Thought I knew you, Tom, when
I first came up the steps, but wasn't
quite sure till I got a side view. Must
lie six years since you left us, ain't it?
What am I doing? Oh, they've shoved
us up here from Arizona and, I've been
up nt the Iteservatlnn wntchln' 'em
giiost-dnnce an' nni headln' now for
Collins to tell the (J, man the news.
Some fun goln' to be pulled olT pres
ently." "Von mean the Sioux are goln' on
rampage ng'ln?"
"Sure thing, unless I miss my guess,
an' I reckon I ought to know Injuns
by this time. It'll either come this
fall or next spving. I figure they'll
never hold In over winter. 01' Slttln'
Hull has got the game In bis bands
an" you know that of devil, I reckon."
"I have reason to. Any troops up
there?"
"No; the Injun agent don't believe
there's goln' to be any trouble: kiivk
It's Just a few young bucks who are
raisin' h 1. He don't know what Is
goln' on. Hut I bwn among 'em an'
the whole outfit Is Mood-mnd. I seen
two of their ghost-dances myself buck
In the hills an I tell you they mean
misiness. on iivin" here now?"
"No, out on the Cottonwood."
"What north? Say. old man. that
ain't goln' to be no healthy place fer
a wnite. ir those devils break loose;
they'll make that country sure. Got
much or nn outfit?"
"A hunch of cattle nn' two herders."
"Not enough to put up a fight. Well.
If 1 was you, Tom. rd run those cows
over Into the Ilad Lands an' lie out
there awhile. We'll get the Injuns, of
course ; hut there Is bound to be some
klllln' first, unless I'm crazy. I've jrot
to go In nnd get something to eat."
He stnrted to turn away, but Shelby
hailed him with n question,
"How long you been In the army,
I'ete?"
"Twenty-two years,"
i "And with the Sixth cavnlryr
"Fifteen."
"Did you erer know a sergeant
named Calkins?"
"Jeff Calkins; ho wns my first 'top'
nfter I Joined; he left the service
'bout ten yenrs ngo. There was fa
shootln' scrape or Komethln' down at
llarker. Sorter ugly story, though I've
forgotten Just what It wns all about
now. Calkins got out o' that nil right,
but when his enlistment was tip he
quit; he didn't get on good with the I
men. Do you know whatever become I
of the of duffer?"
"He wns burled here yesterday
killed himself; left n daughter 'bout
nineteen "
"The h I he did I Jeff Calkins nev
er wns married ; not before he left the
army, anyhow. I know because 1
bunked with blm nenrly two yenrs nn'
he told me n lot about himself. lie
wnsn't no lady's man at all. Say,
whnt the devil Is goln' on here?"
"There's been a wedding." Shelby
stnrted to explain, but the outflowing
throng cut his sentence In two, nnd
the startled soldlet, stepping hnck to ,
get out of the way. was Instantly I
swept aside, while the gang poured
forth between, separating the 'two
completely. The bridegroom found '
himself once more the center of fer
vent congratulations and only esenped
by pushing n passage down the steps
to where his outfit waited for depar
ture. Some moments later she Joined
him, accompanied by ber bodyguard,
wearing a long duster which almost
reached the ground and a close-flttlng
cap pulled down over her smooth hair.
He silently helped her Into the seat
of the buckboard, joining her grimly
and gathering up the reins In his fin
ger.';. "Now, then," ho called, "n couple
of you untie those brutes nnd Jump.
They're bad stnrters."
The broncos amply justified his pre
diction nnd the party went tenrlng
down the main street, pursued by yells
of enjoyment nnd cnt-bowis of deri
sion, Shelby struggling with the reins
In nn endeavor to keep the mnddened
brutes off the sidewalks.
However, the steep ascent of the
bluff brought the plunging animals to
their senses and by the time - they
had surmounted the ridge nnd struck
the prairie trail leading ncross the
upland they were willing enough to
slow down to the swift trot they were
accustomed to take on long journeys.
Shelby loosened his grasp on the leath
er and rested back In the seat, ven
turing a side glance nt his companion.
She was still gripping the iron rail
for safety, but evidently felt no fear.
"Mean devil, that bronco," said Slit
by, feeling the necessity of speech
and flecking his whip lash nt the buck
skin, whose evil eye was peering mali
ciously backward, "worst horse I ever
owned. The Kid back there seems
to be some bronco mister nnd I'll let
! I in try his luck when we get out to
the ranch. I got some outlaws there."
She turned her head nnd glanced
behind through the cloud of dust.
"Who Is be? One of your men?"
"Well, I just hired him down nt
I'oncn. Seems to he a mighty gewi
rider. His name Is Maeklln, but ev
erybody calls him 'Kid.' "
"Somehow I don't just like blm."
"Oh, he's hnrmless enough."
"I'erhnps so, but I hnve that feeling
nbout him Just the same."
Shelby made no answer and they
rode on In silence through the circling
dust. He felt awkward and embar
rassed, unable to think of nnythlng
to say to keep up conversation nnd In
tensely conscious of the peculiar situa
tion In which they found themselves.
Occasionally he stole a surreptitious
glance nslde at her, but her eyes were
averted as though In nvnldance, guz-
ng out over the dull vlstn. To Shelby
this quietness on her part, Ibis half
turning from him seemed particularly
ominous. She wns doubtless sorry al
ready at her choice; this drear expanse
which they rode was more than she
expected to encounter she was dread
ing already an approach to the Cot
tonwood. He had been a fool to even
dream that he could ever satisfy her
in such surroundings. Well, It wns
not too late to turn back. He would
talk with her and learn the truth.
He drove steadily forward, en
deavoring to formulate some pleasant
opening sentence, his mind Inevitably
drifting back to that late conversa
tion with Sluiunessy nnd the doubts It
hnd awakened. Ought he to permit
her to become exposed to a possible
Indian nttack? Was It not plainly
bis duty to explain fully the exact
.situation? And then that other mnt-
tcr relative to Old Calkins? Surelv It
was her place to make that clear?
He straightened up, clearing his
voice, nnd she glanced about, dls
turbed from revcry by bis action.
"How dismal It all Is," she said,
as be failed to speak, "and yet the
very sllenco nnd loneliness hns a
charm. Is It dike this out on the Cot
tonwood?
No, not exactly. It's lonnlv
enough, hut that Is broken country.
wiin soiiieiiung to rest the eyes on.
I nm afraid, though, you're goln' to be
nwruily sorry."
"Iteally, 1 don't," honestlv. "1
don't mind being nlono nt all. I've
always been alone, so that won't
hurt,"
"Hilt this Is different." he Insisted
stubbornly. "Hesldes, I heard some
thing back there in I'oncn that makes
mo think I had no business bringing
you niong nr an.
"What was that?"
''Why. Just before
I ran Into an old friend o' ialn lo
the army, named Shnuncssy. ITe'd
been up In the Sioux reservation,
watcbln' 'em ghost-dunce, nnd he says
the bucks up there nre goln' to raise
Ned before long, an' there nln't no
troops anywhere around sulllclent to
hold 'em. It's Of Slttln' Hull who Is
stlrrln' 'em up."
"Hut surely they could never get
down here?"
"Not to I'onca no; they wouldn't
go In that direction. Hut they'd be
mighty liable to come raldlu' down
the Cottonwood. That's what Shaun
essy said; be told me I'd better run
my stock over Into the Had Lands,
and lie out for awhile, till the soldiers
.cf
"Somehow I Don't Just Like Him."
got the devils rounded up again. I
been thlnkln' ever Blnce I ought to
tell you about It, so. If you thought ,
best we could turn around an take
you back to Pontn."
"And then what would you do?"
"Me? Why go on o' course an'
take care o' the cattle. 'Taln't the
first time I've seen Indians."
"Then I am going with you," she
said firmly. "I nm not the lenst
afraid. I wonder If you hnve an extra
rifle out there?"
"Sure," he said, grinning. "I sorter
like that kind o' talk, little girl. Can
you shoot?"
"Some; I'll show you when we get
out there. Anyvvny, please don't turn
hack on my account. I heard In I'onca
that the Sioux were ghost-dancing, but
I didn't think nbout their coming down
the Cottonwool). Dad said they were
getting ugly, but I don't know where
he heard It."
This unexpected mention of Calkins
stirred Shelby to ask a further ques
tion. She wns going on with him, that
wns evident, nnd the mystery between
them must be cleared away.
"What was your name?" he asked
soberly.
She glanced up Into his face, sur
prised at the abrupt question.
"My name! Why, don't you know?"
"I never beard of It; seems sorter
odd, maybe, but I never did."
"It Is Olga."
"Olga Olga whnt?"
"Why, Shelby, I suppose."
"No, I didn't mean that. Of course.
It's Shelby now, but what was It be
fore today? 'Twasn't Calkins."
The smile hnd deserted ber lips and
her eyes were very serious.
"Just whnt do you mean, please?
Have you heard something?"
"Well, yes. This here soldier Shnu-
nessy has been In the army a long
while; he wns fifteen years In the
Sixth cuvnlry. Now I happened to
lenni, accidentally from McCarthy,
tnnt uni calkins was once a sergeant
In that outfit, so naturally I asked
Sluiunessy if he ever knew him."
"And did he?"
"Sure; they were Inmkles once an'
he said Jeff Calkins never wns mar
ried nn' didn't have no daughter."
"Well, did I ever say I was his
daughter?"
"No. o' course you didn't. I never
asked, but everybody thought you
must be. What wns the old man to
you, anyhow? I reckon I got a right
to know."
"You certainly have, hut I cannot
tell you very much. Frankly. I don't
know. I could not explain even how
I enmo Into his care. That sounds
strange, perhaps, but It Is true. 1
wnsn't much of a girl when he got
me first nnd I've scarcely been out ol
his sight since, ve asked him n
thousand times, but he never would
explain. Once he Mild It would come
out all right nfter awhile. It seemed
to anger blm for me to ask ques
tions. so, nt last. I stopped."
"That's mighty queer. Did he evei
tell you what your real name was?"
"Ob, yes; there wasn't nny secret
about that It wns Carlyn."
"Olga Carlyn," he "repeated the
words slowly. "Sorter Norwegian'
Irish, nln't It? That Htory sounds rn
ther funny to me."
"My Idea Is he wns hiding me from
someone; trying to k-ep me from be
ing found. I decided thnt wns why
he moved nbout from place to plnce
and always lived In such poverty and
alone. I believe he hnd money oi
could nlwnys get some when needed,
Then he seemed to bo afraid all the
time and watching for something to
happen."
"And you don't hnve no recollection
whatever of either your father or
mother?"
"Not of my mother; she may have
died when I wns a baby, but I can
remember nay father, although I newer
sow him very often, fie was a tall
man with Iron-gray bnlrlind mustache;
once I snw him In uniform."
"An officer, likely."
"I think so. I was at school thai
nnd I am sure the Indy principal called
hltn colonel. I never lived Svlth him,
hut always nt some school, first one
nnd then another. I am sure I was
In 'St. Louis when Calkins came for
me and took me nwny. That Is actu
ally everything I know nbout It; since
then we've Just moved around from
plnce to place."
They fell Into silence nnd rode on
thus for hours, seldom speaking, each
engrossed In their own thoughts. To
ward sundown they came Into a more
rolling country, with patches of green
grass, nnd the trail wound In nnd out
among shallow depressions, yielding
greater variety of scenery. Just be
fore dark they tolled up over a high
ridge nnd from the summit looked for
some dlstnnce down the valley of the
Cottonwood. The trail ran slantingly
down the side of the bluff, zigzagging
here nnd there In search of easier pas
sage, and It was necessary to descend
slowly. Consequently It wns nn hour
nfter dark when they finally drove up
to n small cabin surrounded by trees,
n hundred feet hnck from the stream,
and the driver announced their arrival.
CHAPTER VI.
A Blow of Treachery.
It wns n desolate home-coming
the great stars overhead, the tinkle
of distant water, the sllenco nnd blnck
ness all about, and the dim outline
of the cnbln barely visible amid the
surrounding trees. The girl held her
breath with lips pressed tight, staring
around Into the vague shadows and
permitted Shelby to gently swing ber
between 'the wheels to the ground.
Some wny the strong grnsp of his
bands brought back to her a sense
of courage.
"Is Is there no one here?" she
asked, afraid to Venture n step In the
gloom. "It Is terribly dark."
"I'll remedy thnt In n minute," he
said, pretending a cheerfulness he was
fur from feeling. "Hey there. Kid.
stake out yer horse, and come here
and hold these broncs until I light up
Inside. Don't move, Olga ; there Is a
steep hank Just beyond. I'll only be
gone n minute."
"Hut where Is your herder?"
"Out with the cattle, probably; he
doesn't sleep here, nnd bod no Idea
when I would be back. Now hang on
tight to these reins, Kid, nnd I'll help
you presently. Would you rather go
with me, Olga?"
"Yes," she said, her voice trembling
slightly In slte of every effort at
control, "I would rather not be left
out here.".
"All right; this Is the path; don't
be afraid. I won't let you stumble.
Now, one step up; thnt's It."
"A Bit Tough Looking, I Suppose."
He 'flung open the unsecured door,
jnd stepped Into the dense blackness
of tho Interior. She could see noth
ing, but heard him rummaging about,
and fipally caught the tiny gleam of
a nintch. The next Instant this had
become tho flame of.nn oil lamp, and
the whole Interior of the room be
came revealed In tho yellow flicker.
In spite of every attempt to steady
herself, her heart gave a sudden throb,
and she clutched at the door for sup
port. This was even worse than she
had pictured.
"A bit tough looking, I suppose,"
Shelby said with a hasty glance about.
"Sorter surprise, this hrlng'ln' a wife
back with me. Never reckoned on nny
such thing, or I'd a cleaned the sbnek
up a bit. However, I'll straighten
things around In a jiffy, as soon as I
show the Kid the corral, Ilere's a
chair to sit In," nnd ho dumped Its
load on the floor. "You nln't afraid to
wait here, are you?"
"Oh, no; I will be all right Yoa
need not hurry."
Struck down from behind.
(TO BE CONTINUED,)
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