Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-07-12

brakes"
Young man. you amt in any shape
TO travel. See here-any hustlers on
your trail?"
Il think we gave BANDS gang the
slip"
GOOD. Til tell you what. I'll take
you in along with the girl, an hide
both of you till you get we'll. 1t III be
safe. My nearest neighbor is five miles
off. We don't have much company
You risk a great deal Both outlaws
and rangers are hunting me-" said
Duane.
Never seen a ranger yet in these
parts. An have always got along with
outlaws, mebbe exceptin' Bland. ! tell
you l w you a good turn"
My horses might betray you," added
Duane.
there's water an grass. Nobody goes
to it. Come now, let me help you in
DOORS"
Duane's last fading sensations of that
hard day We're the strange feel of a bed,
a relic at the emoval of his heavy
boots, and of Jennie's soft, cool hands
on his hot face.
He lay i'll for three weeks before he
began to mend, and it was another
week then before he could walk out A
little in the dusk of the evenings. After
that his strength returned rapidly. And
it was only at the end of this long siege
that he his spirits. During
most Of his illness he had been silent,
moody.
Jennie, I'll be riding off soon," he
said, one evening. Il can't impose on
this good man Andrews much longer.
too-she's been so good to us. Yes,
Jennie, you n l will have to say
goodby very soon."
Don't hurry away she replied.
Lately Jennie had appeared strange
to him. She had changed from the girl
he used to see at Mrs. BANDS house.
He took her reluctance to say goodby
as another indication of her regret that
he must go back to the brakes. Yet
somehow 1t made him observe her more
closely. She wore a plain, white dress
made from material Mrs. Andrews had
given her. Sleep and good food had inn
proved her. If she had been pretty
out there in the outlaw den, now she
was more than that But she bad the
same paleness, the same strained look,
the same dark eyes full Of haunting
shadows. After Duane's realization of
the change in her he watched her more.
With a growing certainty hat he would
be sorry not to see W again.
Its likely we won't ever see each
other again. he said. That's strange
to think OF. We've been through some
hard days. and l seem to a known
you a long time"
Jennie appeared shy, almost sad, so
Duane changed the subject to oMo
thing less personal.
Andrews returned one evening from
a several days trip to Huntsville.
Duane. ~everybody's talkin' about
he said. important and full Of news.
It's some exaggerated, accordin'
to what you told me; but you've shore
made friends on this side Of the NJ.
eces. l reckon Their amt q town where
you wouldn't n people to welcome
you. huntsville, % know. 10 some
divided in its ideas. Half the people
are crooked. Likely enough, ali them
who was so loud in praise OF you are
the crookedest. For instance, met King
Fisher. the boss outlaw of these parts.
Well. King thinks he's a decent citi-
job yours was for the border an hon
est cattlemen. Now that Bland and
Alloway are lone for, King Fisher will
find rustlin' easier. There's talk Of
Hardin movin his camp over TO
BANDS. But l don't know how true it
the past when a big outlaw chief went
UNDER, his band almost always broke
up an scattered. There's no one left
who could run tibet outfit"
Did you hear Of any outlaws hunt
ing me?" asked Duane.
Nobody from BANDS outfit is hunt.
in you, thet's shore" replied Andrews.
Fisher said there never was a boss
straddled to go on your trail. Nobody
had any use for Bland. Anyhow, his
men would be afraid to trail you. An
you could go right in to Huntsville.
you'd be safe, too. except when some
OF them fool saloon loafers or bad cow
punchers would try to shoot you for
the glory in it. Them kind Of men will
BOB up everywhere you go, Duane"
"Ill be able to ride and take care of
myself in a day or two" went on Du-
ane. Then IN god like to talk to
you about Jennie"
She's welcome to a home here with
Thank you Andrews. You're a kind
man. But 1 want Jennie to get farther
away from the Rio Grande. She'd
never be safe here. Besides. she may
be able to find relatives. She has some.
though h doesn't know where they
are
All right, Duane. Whatever YOU
think best. I reckon now you'd better
a her to some town. Go north an
strike for ~Shelbyville or Crockett.
mems both good towns. I'll tell Jen-
ME the names of men who'll help her.
You needn't ride into town at ALL
is it?"
"~shelbyville. I reckon about two
days ride. Poor stock country, SO you
amt liable to meet ~rustlers. All the
same. better hit the train at night an
go careful"
AT unset two days later Duane and
Jennie mounted their. horses and said
goodby to the rancher and his wife.
Andrews would not listen to Duane's
thanks.
Il tell you I'm beholden to you yet"
he declared.