The Parma herald., 1916-10-26

kept lodging rocks which his horses
loosed behind him. And in a short
time he reached and rode down the
green retreat. wondering what would
be his reception
The valley was much larger than II
had appeared from the high elevation.
Well watered, green with grass and
tree. and farmed evidently by good
hands, 1t gave Duane a considerable
surprise. Horses and cattle were ev-
erywhere. Every clump Of cotton
woods surrounded a small adobe house
Duane saw Mexicans working In the
fields and horsemen going to and fro.
Presently he passed a house bigger
than the others. with porch attached
4 woman. young and pretty. he
thought. watched him from a door. No
one else appeared to notice him
Presently the trail widened into a
road. and that into a kind Of square
lined by a number Of adobe and log
buildings Of rudest structure Within
sight were horses. dogs. a couple of
steers. Mexican women with children.
and white men. all OF whom appeared
to be doing nothing. His advent ere
ated no interest until he rode up to
the white men. who were lolling In the
shade Of a house. This place eyi-
IDENTIFY was a store and saloon. and
from the inside came a lazy hum OF
voices.
AS Duane refined to a halt one Of the
loungers in the shade rose with loud
exclamation:
Bust me II thet amt Luke's hoss -
The others accorded their interest
If not assent. by rising TO advance
toward Duane.
How about It. Euchre7 Amt thet
Luke's bayz- queried the first man
"Plain as your nose" replied the fel-
low called Euchre-
There amt no doubt about thet
then" laughed another. "fer Bosomer's
nose is shore plain on the landscape
These men lined up before Duane
thought they could have been recog
. nized anywhere as desperadoes- The
man called Bosomer. who had stepped
forward, had forbidding face. which
; showed yellow eyes. an enormous nose
, and a skin the color Of dust. with ,
thatch of sandy hair
stranger. who are you an wher'
o in the hi did you git thet bay hossT
he demanded His yellow eyes took II
4. Stevens horse, then the weapons hun
on the saddle, and finally turned thei
A glinting. hard light upward to Duane
II Duane did not like the tone in whicl
: he had been addressed. and he re
: mained silent Something leaped In
: side Of him and made his breast fee
' tight He recognized it as that strang
9 emotion which had shot through hiI
often of late, and which had decide
him to 90 out to the meeting wit
\ Balm. Only now 1t was different. an
more powerful.
; stranger, who are your asked al
other man, somewhat more civilly.
% MY names Duane" replied Duan
. curtly.
a "An' how'd you come by the hossi
Duane answered briefly, and b
words were followed by short silenc
: during which the men looked at hin
. Bosomer began to twist the ends {
% his beard
= Reckon he's dead, all right. or N
% body'd hev his hoss an guns" pre-
emily said Euchre-
Mister Duane" began Bosomer.
low, stinging tones. p happen TO
Luke Stevens side pardner."
IF Duane looked him over, from dust
10 worn-out boots to his slouchy sor
D. brero. That look seemed to infan
N Bosomer.
il. "An' 1 want the hoss an them guns
", ne shouted
he 'You or anybody else can have ther
Is for all 1 care. just fetched them /
he But the pack is mine" repli'
Duane. "And. say. befriended yoV
at pard- If you can't use civil tong
81 you'd better cinch Ii"
Id Civil? Haw, hawI" rejoined d
n. outlaw. Il amt takin' your wor'
he Savvy thet7 An l was Luke's pard
el With that Bosomer wheeled. an
pushing his companions aside,
at stamped into the saloon. where b
lie voice broke out in roar.