The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1916-08-17
"\Vhar's thatY' asked Duane.


bad conscience, and life, too, doesn't
it,"
Il amt shore about the bad con-
science. Mine never bothered me none.
An as for life, why, thet's cheap in
| Texas
''Who is Bland?" asked Duane.
| quickly changing the subject. "What
do you know about him?"
eve don't know who he is or where
| he halls FROM" replied Euchre. ''Thets
| always been somcthin' to interest the
| gang. He must have been a young
man when he struck Texas. Now he's
middle-aged. I remember how years
ago he was soft-spoken an not rough
in talk or act like he is now. Bland
amt likely his right name. He knows
q lot. He can doctor you, an he's
shore a KNOWN Teller with tools.
He's the kind tibet rules men. Outlaws
are always ridin' in here to join his
gang, an if it hadn't been fer the
gamblin' an gun-play he'd have a
| thousand men around him."
"How many in his gang now?"
II reckon there's short of a hundred
now. The number varies. Then Bland
has several small camps up an down
the river. Also he has men back on
the cattle-ranges."
SLOW does he control such a big
force?" asked Duane. ESPECIALLY
when his bands composed Of bad men.
Luke Stevens said he had no use for
Bland. And heard once somewhere
that Bland was a DEVIL
''Thet's it. He is a devil. He's as
hard as flint, violent in temper, never
made any friends except his right
hand men, Dave Rugg an Chess Allo-
way. Bland III shoot at a wink. He's
killed a lot of fellers, an some Ter
nothin'. The reason tibet outlaws
gather round him an stick is because
he's a safe refuge, an then he's well
heeled. Bland is rich. They say he
has hundred thousand pesos hid
somewhere, an lots of gold. But he's
free with money. He CANDLES when
he's not off with a shipment of cattle.
He throws money around. An the
fact is there's always plenty of money
where he is. Thet's what holds the
gang. Dirty, bloody money!"
cts a wonder he hasn't been killed.
All these years on the border!' ex'
claimed Duane.
"Wal," replied Euchre, dryly, ''he's
been quicker on the draw than the
other fellers who hankered to kill him.
thet's all"
Euchre's reply rather chilled
Duane's interest for the moment. Such
remarks always made his mind resolve
round facts pertaining to himself.
"Speakin' Of this here swift wrist
game" went on Euchre, there's been
considerable talk in camp about your
THROWN of a gun. heard Bland say
this afternoon-an' he said it serious
like an speculative-thet he'd never
seen your equal. All the fellers who
seen you meet Bosomer had somethin
to say. An they all shut up when
Bland told who an what your dao
was. Pears to me once seen your
dad in a gun-scrape over at Santone
years ago. Wal, put my oar in to
day among the fellers, an 1 says
What ais you locoed gents? Die
young Duane bulge an inch when Bt
came roarin' out, blood in his eye
Wasn't he cool an quiet, steady Of
lips, an weren't his eyes readin' Bo':
mind? An thet lightnin' draw-can'
you-all see thet's family gift?"
Euchre's narrow eyes twinkled, ant
,rh hn
slap with his four-whitened hand
Manifestly he had proclaimed himsel
a champion and partner of Duanes
with all the pride an old man coult
feel in young one whom he admired
"Wal," he resumed, presently
"thet's your introduction to the border
Buck. An your card was a hlgi
trump. You'll be let severely alone b.
real gun-fghters an men like Bland
Alloway, Rugg, an the bosses of tn
other gangs. After all, these real mel
are men, you know, an onless yo'
cross them they're no more likely t
interfere with you than you are wit
them.
"The only Teller who's goin' to pu
a close eye on you is Benson. He run
the store an sells drinks. The gan
, calls him Jackrabbit Benson, becaus
he's always got his eye peeled ar
his ears cooked.
, GLANDS not here tonight. He 1ef
: to-day on one of his trips, takin' Allt
way an some others. But his othe
man, Rugg, he's here. Riggs tn
, little bow-legged man with half Of nj
face shot off. He's one-eyed. But n
!, can shore see out Of the one he's go
An there's Hardin. You know him
He's got an outlaw gang as big a
, Bands"
! Euchre went on calling Duane's Al
! tention to other men Of the band. An
= one of them would have been a marx
? ed man in a respectable crowd. Her
q each took his place with more or les
distinction, according to the record c
2 his past wild prowess and his preser
= possibilities. Duane, realizing that h