The Ozark spectator., 1916-12-06
CHAPTER xxIIl-Continued.

hill there, say three nights from to- night. If you don't see 1t thet night you hit the trail. I'll do what I can. Jim Fletcher sticks to his pals. So long, Dodge"
 He left Duane in quandary. This news was black. At the moment Duane did not know which way to turn, but certainly he had no idea of going back to Bradford. Friction between the two great lieutenants of Cheseldlne! Generally such matters were settled with guns. Duane gath cred encouragement even from disas- ter. If Knell knew anything 1t was that this stranger in Ord, this new partner of Fletcher's, was no less than Buck Duane. We'll, 1t was about time, thought Duane, that he made use of his name If 1t were to help him at all. That name had been MacNelly's hope.
 He had anchored all his scheme to Duane's fame. Duane was tempted to ride off after Fletcher and stay with him. This, however. would hardly be fair to an outlaw who had been fair to him. Duane concluded to await devel- opments, and when the gang rode in to Ord, probably from their various hiding places. he would be there ready to be denounced by Knell Duane could not see any other continuation of this series of events than meeting between Knell and himself. If that terminated fatally for Knell there was all probability of Duane's being in no worse situation than he was now. If Poggin took up the quarrel Here Duane accused himself again-tried in sain to revolt from judgment that he was only reasoning out excuses to meet these outlaws.
 Meanwhile, instead of waiting. why not hunt up Cheseldlne In his noun tain retreat? The thought no sooner struck Duane than he was hurrying for his horse.
 In an hour he struck the slope of Mount Ord. and as he climbed he got among broken rocks and cliffs, and was hard put to 1t to find the trail. He halted at a little side-canyon with grass and water. and here he made camp. And on this night, lonely like the ones he used to spend in the Nueces gorge, and memorable of them because of a likeness to that old hid lng-place. he felt the pressing return of old haunting things-the past so long ago, wild flights. dead faces and the places of these were taken by one quiveringly alive, white, tragic, with It's dark, intent, speaking eyes Ray Longstreths.
 That last memory he yielded to un- til he slept.
 In the morning. satisfied that he had left still fewer tracks than he had followed up this trail he led his horse up to the head of the canyon, into narrow crack In low cliffs, and with branches of cedar fenced him in. Then he went back and took up the trail on foot.
 Without the horse he made better time. Once, through wide gateway between great escarpments, he saw the lower country beyond this. vast and clear as It lay In his sight. was the great river that made the Big Bend.
 He rounded Jutting corner, where view had been shut off. and presently came out upon the rim of high wall. Beneath. like green gulf seen through blue haze. lay an amphltheater walled in on the two sides he could see. It lay perhaps thousand feet below him; and. plain as all the other features of that wild environment, there shone out big red stone or adobe cabin. white water shining away between borders, and horses and cattle dotting the levels. It was a peaceful, beautiful scene. Duane could not help grinding his teeth at the thought of rustlers living In quiet and ease.
 Duane worked halfway down to the level, and. we'll hidden In a niche, he seated himself to watch both trail and valley.
 The sun went down behind the wall, and shadows were born in the darker places of the valley. Duane began to want to get closer to that cabin. Still he fingered. And sudden ly his wide-roving eye caught sight Of two horsemen riding up the valley. They must have entered at a point below. round the huge abutment of rock. beyond Duane's range of sight, Their horses were tired and stopped at the stream for long drink.
 Duane left his perch, took to the steep trail. and descended as fast as he could without making noise. It did not take him long to reach the valley floor. It was almost level, with deep grass. and here and there clumps of bushes. Twilight was d. ready thick down there. Duane marked the location of the trail, and then began to slip like shadow through the grass and from bush to bush. He saw bright light before he made out the dark outline of the cabin. Then he heard voices, merry whistle coarse song. and the clink of iron cooking utensils. He smelled fragrant wood smoke. He saw nov