The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-06-22
CHAPTER v.-(continued).

NtciA 'Ai' ~ "'N' - tNAN
gaunt man with a face s~tr!kingly white
beside the red and bronze ard dark
skins of the men around him. 1t was
a c~adaverous face. The black mus
tache hung down; a heavy lock of black
hair cropped down over the brow; deep
set, hollow. staring eyes looked u
piercingly. The man had a restless.
alert, nervous manner. He put his
hands on the board that served as a
bar and stared at Duane. But when
he met Duane's glance he turned hur-
riedly to go on serving out liquor.
What have you got against him
inquired Duane, as he sat down beside
Euchre. He asked more for some
thing to say than from real interest.
What did he care about a mean, haunt
ed, craven faced criminal?
Wal, mebbe I'm cross grained re-
piled Euchre, apologetically. Shore an
outlaw an rustler such as me can't be
touchy. But l never stole nothin' but
cattle from some rancher who never
missed 'em anyway. Thet sneak Ben
son-he was the mean of putin q
little girl in BANDS way"
Grip" queried Duane, now with real
attention.
tell you about this girl when we get
out of here. Some of the gang are
goin' to be sociahle, an l can't talk
about the chief"
During the ensuing half hour a uuTn-
Der of outlaws passed by Duane and
Euchre, halted for q greeting or sat
down for a moment. They were all
gruff, loud voiced, merry, and good ma
tured. Duan replied civilly and agree
ably when he was personally addressed,
but he refused all invitations to GrlHE
and gamble. Evidently he had been
accepted, in a way, as one OF their clan.
No one made any lint OF AZ alluSion
- a - fr.;, ,-s.
readily that Euchre was we'll liked. One
outlaw borrowed one from nm; an
other asked for tobacco,
By the time it was dark the big room
was full of outlaws and MeNicans, most
of whom were engaged at monte. These
gamblers. especially the Mexicans. Were
intense and quiet. The noise in the
place came from the drinkers. the
loungers. Duane had seen gambling
reSorts-some of the famou nes in
San Antonio and Ell Paso, a lew in
border towns where license went un-
checked. But this place of JackTaUoit
Benson's impressed him as 4 where
Suns and knives were accessories To
the game. To his perhaps rather dis
tinguishing eye the most prominent
thing about the gamesters appeared 10
be their weapons. On several OF the
tables were piles of siirer-McsiJan
pesos-as large and high as the c.owu
of his hat. There We're also plies 81
gold and silver in United States coin.
Duane needed no experienced es~s u
see that betting was heavy and ti.at
heavy sums exchanged hamis. IAr
MeXicans showed a sterner oysession.
an intenser passion. Some ~ tit.
Americans staked freely, nonclaiaa.-
iy, as befitted men to whom rTtoG4ey
was nothing. These latter were iHsyai-
testify winning, for there were III ct.rs
outlaws who wagered coin with Grutg-
ing, sullen, greedy eyes. Boisterols
talk end laughter among the drinking
men drowned, except al intervals. the
low, brief talk of the gamblers. The
ciinhh Of coin sounded in~cessantiy.
sometimes just low, steady musical
rings; and again. when a pile was turn
bled quickly, there was a silvery crash.
Here an outlaw pounded on a table
with the butt of his gun: there another
noisily palmed a roll Of dollars while
he studied his opponents face. The
noises, however, in Benson's den did
not contribute to any extent to the sin
lister aspect of the place. That seemed
to come from the grim and reckless
faces, from the bent, intent heads. from
the dark lights mi shades. There were
bright lights, but these served only to
make the shadows. And in the shad-
ows 1urked unrestrained lust of gain. a
spirit ruthless and reckless, a some
SA1AAA6 dI OhSS SoSSSSIIlS Id NlCSSllGSoy
theft, murder, and hell.
"Bland's not here tonight Euchre
was saying. He left today on one Of
his tips, takin' Alloway an some 9TH
ers. But his other nan Kugg, he's
here. See him standin' with them three
fellers, all close to Benson. Riggs the
little bow legged man with the half Of
his face shot off. He's one eyed-but
he can shore see out Of the one he's
got. An, darn me! there's Hardin. You
know him? He's got an outlaw gang
as big as BANDS. Hardin Is standin'
next to Benson See how quiet an un-
assumin' he looks. Yes, thet's Hardin.
He comes here once in a while to see
Bland. They're friends, which's shore
strange. DO you see tibet greaser there
the n with gold an lace on his SOM
brero? Thet's Manuel, a Mexican ban
dit. He's a great gambler. Comes here
often to drop his coin. Next to him is
Bill Marr-the Teller with the bandanna
round his head. Bill rode in the 9TH
He's been shot more'n any Teller I ever
heard of. He's fun of lead. Funny.
because Bits no trouble hunter, an
like me, he'd rather run than shoot.
But he's the best rustler BANDS got
a grand rider, an q wonder with cattle.
An see the tow headed youngster.
Thet's Kid Fuller, the kid OF BANDS
gang. Fuller has hit the pace hard, an
he won't last the year out on the bor-
der. He killed his s-weetheart's father,
got run out of Staceytown, took to
stealin' bosses. An next he's here with
Bland. Another boy gone wrong, an
now shore a hard nut"
Euchre went on calling Duane's at
tention to other men. just as he hap
pened to glance over them. Any one
OF them would have been a marked
man In a respectable crowd. Here each
took his place with more or less dis
tinction, according to the record of his
past wild proves and his present pas
siEs!ities. Duane. realizing thatSleswas
tolerated there, received in careless
friendly spirit by this terrible class OIL
~outcasts. experie.s ced a feeling of re-
vulsion that amounted almost hor-
| ror. WAS his being there moi in ngly
dream? What had he in onlnno witt
such ruffians? Then In q flash OF mem.
Dry am the painful proof-he was {
criminal IN sight OF Texas law. he, too
vas an outcast.
For the moment4fDuane was wrapped
mp I'M painful ~ref1ectionss but Enchre.
heavy hand. clapping with warning
hold o nSllisarn. brought him back I.
outside things.
ms b,,rn 80 xyrinau Tho oIipk ~ rrip