Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-08-17
CHAPTER xxIy.-ccontinued.)

That's tough. I'm glad to be able to
tell you that up to just lately your
mother. sister, uncle-all your folksll, l
believe-were well. I've kept posted,
but haven't heard lately"
Duane averted his face a moment,
hesitated until the swelling left his
throat, and then said: .ISs worth what
1 went through today to hear that"
i can imagine how you feel about
1t. When l was in the war-but let's
get down to the business of this meet
ing"
He pulled his chair close to Duane's.
"You've had word more han once iii
the last two years that l wanted to
see you?"
Three times. / remember replied
Duane.
why didn't you hunt me up?"
Il supposed you imagined me one of
those gunfighters who couldn't take a
dare n expected me to ride up to
your am and be arrested"
That was natural, ] suppose went
on MacNelly. You didn't know me,
otherwise you would have come. I've
been a long time getting to you. But
the nature of my job. as far as you're
concerned, made me cautious. Duane,
you're aware of the hard name o bear
oil owe the southwest"
"Once in q while I'm Jared into re-
AliZing," replied Duane
ITS the hardest, barring Muir
rell and Cheseldine, on the Tex
as border. But there's this difference:
Murrell in his day vas known to
deserve his infamous name. Chesel-
dine in his day also. But I've found
hundreds Of men in southwest Texas
who're your friends, who swear you
never committed q crime. The farther
south l get the clearer this becomes.
What l want to know is the truth.
Have you ever lone anything crimi-
nalY Tell me the truth, Duane. 1t
won't maxi any difference in my plan.
And when l say crime / mean what l
would call crime, or any reasonable
Texan"
THAT way my hands are clean, re-
piled Duane.
You never held up a man, robbed
q store for grub, sole a horse when
you needed him bad-never anything
like that?'
Somehow l always kept out of that,
Just when pressed the hardest"
Duane, I'm damn glad" MacNelly
exclaimed, gripping Duane's hand.
Glad for your mothers sake. But, all
h same, in spite of this, you are a
Texas outlaw accountable to the state.
You're perfectly aware that under ex-
listing Circumstances, il you fell into the
hands of the law. you'd probably hang,
at least go to Jail for a long term /.
That's what kept me on the dodge
all these years" replied Duane.
"certainly." MacNelly removed his
cigar. His eyes narrowed and glittered.
The muscles along his brown cheeks
set hard and tense. He leaned closer
to Duane, laid sinewy, pressing fingers
upon Duane's knee.
Listen to this he whispered,
hoarsely. IF I place a pardon in your
Handmade you q free, honest citizen
once more, clear your name OF infamy,
make your mother, your sister proud
of ~you--will you swear yourself to d
service, any service j demand of you 2"
Duane sat stock still, stunned.
Slowly, more persuasively, with show
of earnest agitation, Captain MacNelly
reiterated his startling query.
My Cod burst from Duane.
whats this? MacNelly, you can't be
In earnest!!'
Never more so in my life. I've a
deep game. I'm playing it square
" hat do yol say?'
lie rose to his feet. Duane, as if
impeiled, rose with him. Ranger and
OUTLAY, then locked eyes that searched
each others souls. In MacNelly's
Duane e truth. strong, fiery purpose
hope, even gladness, and q fugitive
mounting assurance of victory.
Twice Duane endeayored to speak
failed. of all save a hoarse, %incoherent
sound, until, forcing back a flood OF
speech, he found voice.
ANY service? Every service! Mac
Nelly. give my word" said Duane.
A light played " MacNelly's face
warming out all the grim darkness. He
cid out his hand. Duane met it with
lis in a clasp that men unconsciously
give in moments OF stress.
When they .~unclasped and Duane
steppsdi back to drop into a chair Mac
Nelly funbled for another cigar-ht
had bitten the other into shreds-and
lighting it as before, he turned to his
visitor, now calm and cool. He haG
h look, of a man who had justly wor
something at considerable cost. His
next move was to take a long leathe,
case from his pocket and extract from
itsseveral folded paIers.
Here's your pardon from the gov
erTor, he said, quietly. You'll see
when you look it over, that it's condi-
tional. When you sign his paper
have here the condition will be met
He smoothed out the paper, handed
Duane a pen, ran his forefinger along
dotted line.
Duane's hand al shaky. Years had
passea since he had held a pen. Il
was with difficulty that he achieved
his signature. Buckley Duane-how
strange b am looked!
fiEnu mere pIidsTtfle ssTeeT o. isuoh
Duane, outlaw and u fighter. said
MacNelly; and, seating himself, he
took the pen from Duane's fingers and
wrote several lines in several places
upon the paper. Then with a smile he
handed 1t to Duane.
makes you a member OF Com
pany "A. STexas rangers"
$50 that's it!!" burst out Duane, O
light breaking In upon his bewilder-
ment. You want me for ranger SER
vice
sure That's it, replied the cap
tain dryly. Now to hear what that
service Is to be. I've been a busy ma
since u took this job, and, as you may
have heard, I've done q few things. ]
don't mind telling you that political
influence put me In here and that up
aAnhttn way there's q good deal OF fric-
ssStt0nEsaN b department. of state in re-
IS Snaaaxd tOsWafether or not the ranger. SER
Id any good--whether 1t should be
discontinued or moi. I'm on the party
%oidS s@dAfending the ranger SER
sSic6sEscontend that it's made gTexas
Well it's been up to me to
sss66i9S6ddS68rehults. So Tar ] have been
d 1ce1kI.gMy great ambition Is to
II tAe outlaw ang along the
4 never yentured In there
%361x&&M 81 been waiting to get
p Sa Z needed. You. Of course,
s has in mind: It's my