The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1914-01-27

U0tun oQ0oWeyo 70 u0 ID Texas blauCA.
whats he calm himself Texas
for" Querted the bartender. He
breed, / reckon" oifered the pro-
prietor. Claims to have punched COWS
In Texas before he come here"
whats he allowin' to be nowr
Nobody knows. Used to own the
Star-Dakota's brand. Sold out to
Dakota five years ago. Country got
too hot for him an he had to pull
his freight"
"Rustler?''
you've said something. He's been
suspected Of II. But nobody's talkin'
very loud about It."
mot safer"
mot safe. He's lightning with =
Six"
"How's that?"
"Ain't you heard about it7 thought
everybody'd heard about that deal.
Blanca sold Dakota the Star. Then
he pulled his freight immediate. A
week or so later Duncan. OF the
Double II rides up to Dakota's shack
With q bunch Of Double r boys an
accuses Dakota Of rustlin' Double II
cattle. Duncan had found twenty
Double r calves runnin' with the Star
cattle which had been marked secret.
Blanca had run his iron on them an
sold them to Dakota for Star stock.
Dakota showed Duncan his bill OF sale.
all regular, an Of course Duncan
couldn't blame him. But there was
some hard words passed between Dun
can an Dakota. an Dakota amt a..
lowin' they're particular friends since.
Dakota had to give up the calves.
sure enough, an he did. But sore!
Dakota was sure some disturbed IN
his mind. He didn't show Il much.
bein' one Of them quiet kind, but he
says to me one day not long after
Duncan had got the calves back: I've
been stung. Pete he says. soft an
even like; I've been stung proper. by
that damned 0iler. Not that I'm
carin' for the money end Of 1t; Dun
has damaged my reputation Then
he lafYed-one Of them little short
laffs which he gets of sometimes
when things don't Just suit him--the
way he's laffed q couple Of times
when someone's tried to run . cold
lead proposition in on him. He fair
freezes my blood when ne gets u of.
"well, he says to mo: 'Mebbe III DO
runnin' with Blanca one Of these
days An that's all he ever nays
about It. Likely he expected blanca
TO come back. An sure enough no
has. Reckon he thinks that mebbe
Dakota didn't ut wise 70 the 'a't
deal"
I'm his place." said Blacky. .eying
Blanca furtivsly. I'D DO maxim some
INQUIRIES. Dakota amt no man 10
triiie with"
, "Trtfie!" Mouths voice was preg-
nant with awsd admiration. Il reckon
there amt no ono whA knows Da-
kota's goin' to tribe with him-he's
discouraged that long ago. Square.
too, square a. they mako EN-"
'"rhe Lord knows the country needs
square men," observed Blacky.
He caught sign from man seated
at q table and went over to him with
q bottle and q glass. While Blacky
was engaged In this task the door
opened and Dakota came In.
Noulin's admiration and friendship
for Dakota might have impelled him
to warn Dakota Of the presence OF
Blanca. and he did hold up . covert
npger, but Dakota at that moment
was looking In another direction and
did not observe the signal.
He continued TO approach ~ bar.
and Blacky. having a leisure moment,
came forward and stood ready to
-
passed between the three. and Blacky
placed q bottle on the bar and
reached for Q glass. Dakota made q
negative sign with his hsad-short
and rssoluts.
I'm in for suppliss." he laughed.
but not that"
mot drinkin'7" qusried Morlin.
I'm pure a. the driven snow"
drawled Dakota.
How long has that been goin' on?"
Moulin's grin was scepucai.
"A month"
Moulin looked searchingly at Dakota,
saw that he was In earnest. and sud
denly reached q hand over the bar.
"Shake!" he said. II hate to knock
my own business, an you've been =
pretty good customer. but II you mean
II, It's the most sensible thing you ever
done. OF course you didn't hit II regu-
lar. but there's been times when I've
thought that II I could have three or
four customers like you I'd retire In a
year an spend the rest of my life
countin' my DUST" He was suddenly
serious. catching Dakota's gaze and
winking expressively.
Friend Of yourn here" he said.
Dakota took flashing glance at the
men at the card tables and Moulin Jaw
his lips straighten and harden. But in
the next instant he was smiling grave
ly at the proprietor.
Thanks. Pete" he said quietly.
'13ut you're some reckless with the
English language when you're calling
him my friend. Maybe he'll bs prov
ing that he didn't mean 10 skin me on
that deal"
He smiled again and then left the
bar and strobe toward Blanca. Tho
latter continued his card playing. ap-
parently unaware Of Dakota's APP
proach. but at the sound Of his for
mer victims voice he turned and
looked up slowly. hts face wearing q
bland Tmile.
II was plain TO Moulin that Blanca
had known all along Of Dakota's
presence In the saloon he
had seen him enter. The other cGd