The Oakes times., 1916-12-21


hnbitnhlr. Well. it's been up to mo to
produce results. So fnr I have been
successful. My great ambition is to
break up the outlaw gangs along the,
river. have never vcnturcd in there
yet brc";.sc I've been waiting to get
the lieutenant I needed. Ym,. ot
course. arc the man I had I'm mind.
It's my i'lra to start way up the Rio
| Grand" and begin with Chcscldinc.
He's tn" strongest, the worst outlaw
Of the times. He's more thmn r,lstlcr.
It's Chrs"l'inc and his gnng who are
Opcrntin. on the hunks. No one seeing
to hav" seen him-tO know what l,e
looks like.
II assume. Of course. that you nrc
strnnsrr 4" the country he dominates.
It's five hundred miles west Of your
ground. There's n little town over
there chilled Fairtlnle. It's the neg
Of n rustler gnng. They rustic nm
murder at will. Nobody knows wh
the leader is. want you to find out.
Well. whatever why you decide Is hest
you will proceed to net upon. You ure
your own boss. You must find some,
way to lot me know when ] and my
Ringers ar" needed. The plan is to
break up Cheseltline's gang. It's the
toughest job on the border. We want
to kill ar Jail this choice selection Of
robbers and brcnk up the rest Of the
gang. To find them. to get anon.
them somehow. to lcnrn their move.
ments. to lazy your trap for us rangers
to spring-that, Duane. is your service
to inc. and God knows it's a Crcat
one"
II have accepted It," replied Dunno
''Your work will be secret. You nre
now II RINGER in my service But no
one eXcep. the few l choose to tell
will know Of It until we pull on the.
Job. You will simply he Buck Dunno
TILL IT suits our purpose to ncQiIlint
Texas with the fact TINT you're a
rnnger. You'll see there's no date on
that pnper. No one will ever know
just when you entered the service
| Perhaps we can make II appear TINT
all or most Of your outlnwry has
really been good service to the state.
At that. I'll believe it'll turn out So
MarNclly paused n moment in his
rnpid talk, chewed his cigar. drew
his brOws together in dark frOwn,
and went on. "No man on the border
knows so well as you the deadly nature
Of this service. It's II long. long cllnnc.
against your ever coming back"
'"rhnt's not the point" said Dunne
"Hut in case get killed out there
what"
"Icavc that to me-" interrupted
Captain MacNelly. "If you lose your
life out there I'll see your name clear
cd-thr service you render known
You tan rest assured of that"
II ala satisfied replied Duane.
''Tiint'S so much more than I've tiurct
10 hone.
"Wrll. it's settled. then. I'll give
you money for expenses. You'll STAR;
rs soon rs you li'ic-.hr sooner the
! h"ttcr. hope to think of other S,ig
geSi,n> especially abou, commu:ii.
! rain. with me
I Long after the lights were out and
the low hum of voices had ceused
round the campfire Duane lay awake.
yes sjaiin. 1910 ill" b!ac';ncss. mar.
Vein. ovsr the strange events ui the
ny. And rs l!e lay there. with !le
1plG'.n'cIi ~ sio.p Il ;ally diuli,,in@ the
siNiiurss o. hi, !.i"u.lit. full of
mystery. s'.1'lowy faces iloa'ed in the
( lla"i;n"s> around him. haun,ia. INN
~ lie had always been haunted.
Ii wis broad G.iyli-li, when he
awukru"d. M;.cNrliy vas ca!ln. him
to brr i:fnst.
TIL" RINGERS were ca,ing in 81 circle
round !: i..rlIu,ilin spread upon the
gru;iud.
Fellows" said AlacSclly. "s,ukc
hands with l:uck Duane. He's on
!lIHt'll likely make yon all hump soon
Mind you. keep mum about it,
The rangers surprised Duane with q
roarins greeting. the warmth Of which
he soon OWNED WIS divided bpswccn
pride Of his acquisition TO their ranks
service of which their captain hinted
They were jolly. wild fellows. with
just enough gravity in their welcome
to show Duane their respect and ap
precintion. while not forgetting his
lOne-wOlf record. When he had scate,
himself in that circle. now one OF
them. feeling subtle and uplifting
pervaded him.
After the meal Captain MacNclly
drew Duane aside.
"Here's the money. Make It 20 a.
; far ns you can. Write me care OF the
adjutant at Austin. I don't have tt
warn you to be careful where yor
mail letters. Ride hundred. two
hundred miles. II necessary. or so cleal
to Ell PasO."
MncNelly stopped with an air o