The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-06-29
81 haven't any idea" replied Duan,

81 haven't any idea replied Duane,
gravely.
You'll have to pull the wool over
Kate Bland's eyes, an even if she falls
in love with you, which is shore likely,
tibet won't be easy. An she'd Kill you
in a minnit, Buck, if she ever got wise.
o amt mistaken her none are you?"
Not me, Euchre. She's a oma I'd
fear her more than any man.
Wal, youn have to kill Bland an
Chess Alloway an Rugg, an mebbe
some others, before you can ride off
into the hills with tibet girl"
Why? Can't we plan to be nice to
Mrs. Bland and then at an opportune
time sneak off without any gun-play?"
Don't see how on earth" returned
Euchre, earnestly. when BANDS away
he leaves all kinds of spies an scouts
watchin' the valley trails. They've all
got rifles. You couldn't get by them.
But when the boss is home there's a
difference. Only, of course him an
Chess keep their eyes peeled. They both
t a at home pretty much, except when
they're playin' monte or poker over at
Benson's. SO | say the best bet is to
pick out a good time in the afternoon,
drift over careless-like with a couple of
bosses, choke Mrs. Bland or knock her
on the head, tax Jennie with you, an
make a rush to get out of the valley. If
you had luck you might pull tibet stunt
without THROWN a gun. But | reckon
the best figgerin' would include dodgin'
some lead an leavin' at least Bland or
AlloWay dead behind you. I'm figgerin',
OF course, that when they come home
an find out you're visitin' Kate fire.
q%uently. they'll just naturally look fer
results. Chess don't like you, for no
reason except you're swift on the draw
-mebbe swifter n him. That's the hell
of this gun-play business. No one can
ever tell who's the swifter Of two gun
men till they meet. Tibet fact holds a
fascination mebbe you'll learn sone
Gay. Bland would treat you civil onless
there was reason not to, an then l don't
believe he'd invite himself to a meetin'
with you He'd set Chess or Rugg to
put you out of the way. Still Bland's no
coward, an if you came across him at
a bad m you'd have to be quicker
n you was with Bosomer."
All right. I'll meet what comes" said
Duane, quietly. THE great point is to
have horses ready and pick the right
moment, then rush the trick through"
"Thet's the only chance for success.
An you can't do it alone.''
I'll have to. / wouldn't ask you to
help me. Leave you behind!"
Wal, III take my chances" replied
Euchre, gruffly. I'm goin' to help len
ME, you a gamble your last peso on
tibet. There's only four men in this camp
'AN~ 'oNAA " ~ Gil 1llo
right-hand pards, an tibet rabit-faced
Benson. If you happened to put out
Bland n Chess, I'd stand a good show
with the other two. Anyway, Pm old an
tired-what's the difference if 1 do get
plugged? I can risk as much as YOU,
Buck, even if I am afraid of gun-play.
You are correct, Hoses ready, the
right minnit, then the trick Tibet much
8 settled. Now let's figger all the little
details.
They talked and planned, though in
truth it vas Euchre who planned,
Duane who listened and agreed. While
awaiting the return of Bland and his
lieutenants it would be we'll for Duane
to grow friendly with the other out
laws, to sit in a few games of monte, or
show a Willingness to spend a little
money. The two schemers were to call
upon Mrs. Bland every day-Euchre to
carry messages Of cheer and warning to
Jennie, Duane to blind the elder woman
at any cost. These preliminaries de-
cided upon, they proceeded to put
them into action.
No hard task was it to win the friend
ship of the most Of those ~good-natured
outlaws. They were used to men of a
better order than theirs coming to the
hidden camps n sooner or later sink
ing to their lower evel. Besides, with
them everything was easy come, easy
go. That was why life itself went on so
49, Hc1Ao NSootiy OF SllCdplJ.
There were men among them, however,
that made Duane feel that terrible in
applicable wrath rise in his breast. He
could not bear to be near them. He
could not trust himself. He felt tha any
instant a word, a deed, something
might a too deeply to hat instinct he
could no longer control. Jackrabbit
Benson was one of these man. Because
of him n other outlaws of his Tx
Duane could scarcely ever forget the
reality Of things. This was a hidden
valley, a robbers den, a rendezvous for
deeds of wild men. And because of that
there was always a charged atmos-
phere. The merriest, idlest, most care
less moment might in the flash Of an
eye end in ruthless n tragic action.
In an assemblage of desperate charac-
tiers 1T could not be otherwise. The ter
rible thing that Duane sensed was this.
Inc valley was beautiful, sunny frag-
rant. a place to dream in; the noun
tain-tops We're always blue or gold
trimmed, the yellow river slid slowly and
majestically by, the birds SANG in the
pranced, children played and women
longed for love, freedom, happiness; the
outlows rode in and out, free with
money and speech; they lived comfort-
ably IN their adobe homes, smoked.
talked, laughed, whiled away the idle
~ III liC tlillS lllC Un6re was
wrung, and he simplest momen might
be precipitated by that evil into the
most awful Of contrasts. Duane felt
rather than saw a dark, broodine
shadow over the valley.
Then, without any solicitation or en-
couragement from Duane, the Bland
woman fell passionately In love with
him. His conscience was never troubled
about the beginning of that affair. She
launched herself. 1t took no great pers-
picuity on his partato see that. And the
thing which evidently held her in check
was the newness the strangeness, and
for h moment the all-satisfying fact
of his respect for her. Duane eXerted
himself to please, to amuse, to interest
to faseinate her, and always with de-
ference. That was his strong point, and
it had made his part easy so far. He
believed he would carry the whole
scheme through without involving him
self any deeper.
He was playing at a game of love
playing with life and death! Sometimes
he trembled. not that he feared Bland
or Alloway or any other man. but at
Ifhn deans nf life he S,oI oo-.. 49,