Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-06-15
n consolin' fact round this her.

But 1t costs hard rides n trouble
it?"
II / shore about the bad con-
science. Mine never bothers me none.
An as for life, why, thet's cheap in
Texas"
WHO is Bland?" asked Duane, quick
~ changing the subject. what do you
know about him :"
we don't know who he is or where
he halls FROM" replied Euchre. "Thet's
always been something to interest the
gang. He must have been a young
man when he struck Texas. Now he's
middle-aged. / 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
a lot. He can doctor you, an he's
shore a knowin' Teller with tools. He's
the kline 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?"
Il 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"
How does he control such a big
%force?" asked Duane. Especially when
i1o Doiit - Win OSCu Vi Ddu Illtll. LUXE
Stevens said he had no use for Bland.
And l 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 Alloway.
BlandIl shoot at a wink. He's killed a
lot of ~fellers. an some fer 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 a 100, 900 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!"
It's a wonder he hasn't peer killed.
All these years on the border!" ex-
claimed Duane.
WAL" replied Euchre, dryly, hes
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 re-
marks always made his mine reyolye
round facts pertaining to himself.
"Speakin' Of this here swift wrist
game" went on Euchre, there's been
taiN AZ SdIllp dDOuI your
THROWN of a gun You know, Buck,
tibet among us fellers-us hunted men
there amt anythin' calculated to
respect like a slick hand with a
gun. I heard Bland say this after
noon-an' he said it serious like an
speculative-thet he'd never seen your
equal. He was watchin' Of you close,
he said, an just couldn't follow your
hand when you drawed. All the fellers
who seen you meet Bosomer had some
thin to say. 30 vas about as handy
with a gun as any man in this camp,
barrin' Chess Alloway an mebbe Bland
himself. Chess is the captain with a
Golt.or he was. An he shore didn't
like the references made about your
speed. Bland was honest in acknowl-
edgin' it, but he didn't like it, neither.
Some Of the fellers allowed your draw
might have been just accident. But
most OF them figgured different. An
they all shut up when Bland told who
an what your Dad was. Pears to me
1 once seen your Dad in a gunscrape
over at Santone, years ago. Wall, 1
put my oar in today among the fellers.
an l says: What ails you locoed
gents? Did young Duane bulge an inch
When 30 anne roarin' out, blood in his
eye? Wasn't he cool an quiet, steady OF
mind? An'thet lightnin' draw-can't
you-all see thet's a family gift?'"
Euchre's narrow eyes twirlkled, and
he gave the dough he was rolling a Sian
with his flour whitened hand. Mani.
testify he had proclaimed himself d
champion and partner of Duane's, with
all the pride an old man could feel in
a young one whom he admired.
WAL" he resumed, presently, "thet's
your introduction to the border, Buck
An your card was a high trump. You'll
be let severity alone by real gun fighters
an men like Bland, Alloway, Rugg, an,
the bosses of the other gangs. Aftet
all, these real men are men, you know,
an onless o cross them they're no
more likely to interfere with YOU than
you are with them. But there's a sight
Of fellers like Bosomer in the river
country. They'll all want your game.
An every town you ride into will scare
up some cowpuncher full of booze or a
long haired four flush gunman or a
sherlff-an these men will be playin'
to the crowd an yellin' for your blood.
Thet's the Texas of it. You'll have to
hide fer ever in the brakes or youth
nave to kill such men. Buck, l reckon
this amt cheerful news to a decent
chap like you. I'm only tellin' you be-
cause I've taken a likin' to you, an I
seen right off tibet you amt border
wise. Let's eat now, an afterward
Wen go out SO the gang can see you're
not hidin'."
When Duane went out with Euchre
the sun was setting behind a blue
range of mountains across the river in
Mexico. The valley appeared to open
to the southwest. 1t was a TRANQUIL
beautiful scene. Somewhere in a house
near at han a woman was singing.
And in the oad Duane saw a little
Mexican boy driving home some COWS,
n of which wore a bell. The sweet.
happy voice of a woman and a whist
ling barefoot boy-these seemed utterly
out ~ place here.
Euchre presently led to the square
and the row of rough houses Duane
remembered. He almost stepped on a
wide imprint in the dust where Bosomer
had confronted him. And a sudden
fury beset him that he should be az
fected by the sight Of it.
Let's have a look in here" said
Euchre.
Duane had to bend his head to enter
the door He found himself in a very
large room Enclosed. by adobe walls and
r.ofed with brush. 1t was full OF rude
benches. tables, seats. AT one corner
q number of kegs and barrels lay side
by side in a rack. A Mexican boy was
lighting lamps hung on posts that sus-
tanned the log rafters OF the roof.
.The only Teller who's puin, To nrt