The Elbert County tribune., 1916-10-27

kept dodgfng rocks which his horses
loosed behind him. And in a short
time he reached and rode down the
green retreat, wondering what would
be his reception.
The valley was much larger than 1t
had appeared from the high elevation.
Well watered. green with grass and
tree, and farmed evidently by good
hands, 1t gave Duane considerable
surprise. Horses and cattle were ev-
erywhere. Every clump of cotton
woods surrounded small adobe house.
Duane saw Mexicans working in the
fields and horsemen going to and fro
Presently he passed a house bigger
than the others. with porch attached.
A woman, young and pretty, he
thought, watched him from a door. No
one else appeared to notice him.
Presently the trail widened into a
road, and that into kind of square
lined by number of adobe and log
buildings of rudest structure. Within
sight were horses, dogs, couple of
steers, Mexican women with children,
and white men, all of whom appeared
to be doing nothing. His advent Gre
ated no interest until he rode up to
the white men, who were lolling in the
shade of house. This place evil
IDENTIFY was store and saloon, and
from the inside came lazy hum of
voices.
AS Duane reined to halt one of the
loungers in the shade rose with loud
exclamation:
"Bust me If thet amt Luke's hoss !"
The others accorded their interest,
If not assent. by rising to advance
toward Duane.
"How about 1t, Euchre? Amt thet
Luke's bay?" queried the first man.
"Plain as your nose" replied the fell
low called Euchre.
"There amt no doubt about thet,
then," laughed another, "fer Bosomer's
nose is shore plain on the landscape"
These men lined up before Duane,
and as he coolly regarded them he
thought they could have been recog
nized anywhere as desperadoes. The
man called Bosomer, who had stepped
forward, had forbidding face, which
showed yellow eyes, an enormous nose,
and a skin the color of dust, with a
thatch of sandy hair.
stranger. who are you an where
in the HI did you git thet bay hoss?"
he demanded. His yellow eyes took in
Stevens horse, then the weapons hung
on the saddle, and finally turned their
glinting. hard light upward to Duane.
Duane did not like the tone in which
he had been addressed, and he re-
mained silent. Something leaped in
side of him and made his breast feel
tight. He recognized it as that strange
emotion which had shot through him
often of late, and which had decided
him to go out to the meeting with
Balm. Only now 1t was different, and
more powerful.
stranger, who are you?" asked an
other man, somewhat more civilly.
MY names Duane" replied Duane,
curtly.
"An' how'd ycu come by the hoss?"
Duane answered briefly, and his
words were followed by short silence,
during which the men looked at him.
Bosomer began to twist the ends of
his beard.
Reckon he's dead, all right, or no.
body'd hev his hoss an guns" pres
emily said Euchre.
mister Duane" began Bosomer, in
low. stinging tones, 81 happen to be
Luke Stevens side pardner."
Duane looked him over, from dusty,
worn-out boots to his slouchy SOM
brero. That look seemed to inflame
Bosomer.
"An' 1 want the hoss an them guns"
he shouted.
you or anybody else can have them,
for all care. 1 just fetched them in.
But the pack is mine," replied
Duane. "And, say. befriended your
pard. If you can't use civil tongue
you'd better cinch it"
Civil? Haw, hawl' rejoined the
outlaw. 81 amt takin' your word |
Savvy thet? An was Luke's pard !"
With that Bosomer wheeled, and,
pushing his companions aside, he
stamped into the saloon, where his
voice broke out in a roar.
| Duane dismounted and threw his
bride.
| stranger, Bosomer is shore hot
headed" said the man Euchre. He
did not appear unfriendly, nor were
the others hostile.
At this juncture several more out
laws crowded out of the door. and the
one in the lead was tall man of
stalwart physique. His manner pro-
claimed him leader. He had long
face, flaming red beard, and clear.
cold blue eyes that fixed in close scru-
tiny upon Duane. He was not a Tex
an; in truth, Duane, did not recognize
one of these outlaws as native to his
state.
I'm Bland" said the tall man, au-
thoritatively. Whore you, and what're