The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-08-31
"Rustlers 2"

| Will inc aIllfinallFe duane expected.
Lively place, l hear-Fairdale is?'
| Amt SO lively as Sanderson, but
! it's bigger"
| es, l heard it was. Fellow down
there was talking about two cowboys
who were arrested"
sure. l heered all about that. Joe
Bean an Brick Higgins-they belona
heah, but they amt heah much. Long
streth's boys"
Duane did not want to appear over
inquisitive, SO he turned the talk into
other channels.
After getting supper Duane strolled
up and down the main street When
darkness set in he went into hotel
bought cigars, sat around and watched
Then he passed out and went into the
next place. This was of rough crude
exterior, but the inside was compare
lively pretentious and ablaze with
lights. 1t was full of men coming and
golng--a dusty booted crowd that
smelled Of horses and smoke. Duane
sat down for a while, with wide eyes
ana open ears. Then he hunted up the
par, where most Of the guests had been
or were going. He found a great square
room lighted by six huge lamps, a bar
at one side, and all the floor space
taken up by tables and chairs. This
was the only gambling place of any
size In southern Texas in which he had
>--S SAooStASS
was some card playing going on at this
moment. Duane stayed in there for a
while, and knew that strangers were
TOO common in Fairdale to be conspic-
uous Then he returned to the inn
where he had engaged a room.
peane sat down on the steps Of the
dlngy little restaurant. Two men were
conVerslng inside, and they had not
noticed Duane.
Laramie, what's the strangers
name?" asked one.
"a he didn't say replied the other.
sure was strappin' big man
Struck me little odd, he did. No cat
tleman, him. How'd you size him.
Well like one of them cool easy.
quiet Texans who's been lookin' for a
man for years-to kill him when he
found him"
Right you are, Laramie: and, be-
tween you an me, 1 hope he's lookin'
for Long"
SSH" interrupted Laramie. You
must be half drunk, to go talkin' that
way"
Thereafter they conversed in too low
tone for Duane to hear, and presently
Laramie's visitor left Duane went in
side and, making himself agreeable, be-
gan to ask casual questions about Fair
uale. LARAMIE was not communicative.
Duane went to his room in thought
ful frame Of mind Had Laramie's Wis
ltor meant he hoped some one had
come to kill Longstreth? Duane in
ferred just that from the interrupted
remark. There was something wrong
about the mayor Of Fairdale Duane
felt 1t. And he felt also, if there was
a crooked and dangerous man, it was
this Floyd Lawson. The innkeeper
Laramie would be worth cultivating.
And last in Duane's thoughts that
night was Miss Longstreth. He could
not help thinking Of her-how strangely
the meeting with her had affected him.
1T made him remember that long past
time when girls had been a part of his
life. What sad and dark and endless
void lay between that past and the
present! He had no right even to
dream of beautiful woman like Ray
Longstreth That conviction, however.
did not dispel her; indeed, it seemed
perversely to make her grow more fas-
clnat1ng. Duane grew conscious Of a
strange, unaccountable hunger a some
thing that was like pang in his breast.
Next day he lounged about the inn.
lie did not make any -overtures to the
taclturn proprietor. Duane had no need
OF hurry now. He contented himself
with watching and listening. And at
the close Of day he decided Fairdale
was what MacNelly had claimed it to
be, and that he was on the track of an
unusual adventure. The following day
he spent in much the same way, though
on one occasion he told Laramie he
was looking for a man. The innkeeper
grew little less furtive and reticent
after that. He would answer casual
queries, and 1t did not take Duane long
70 learn that Laramie had seen better
days-that he was now broken, bitter
and hard Some one had wronged him.
Several days passed. Duane did not
succeed IN getting any closer to Lara
ME, but he found the idlers on the cor
ners and in front Of the stores unsus-
picious and willing to talk. 1t did not
take him long to find out that Fair
dale stood parallel with Huntsville for
gambling, drinking and fighting. The
street was always lined with dusty,
saddled horses, the town full Of stran-
gers. Money appeared more abundant
than In any place Duane had ever Wis
tied; and 1t was spent with the aban-
don that spoke forcibly Of easy and
crooked requirement. Duane decided
that Sanders-on, Bradford and Ord were
but notorious outposts to this Fairdale.
which was secret center Of rustlers
and outlaws. And what struck Duane
strangest of all was the fact that Long
streth was mayor here and held court
daily. Duane knew intuitively, before
chance remark gave him proof, that
this court was sham, farce. And
he wondered If it were not blind. This
wonder or his was equivalent to sus-
piclon OF Colonel Longstreth, and Du-
ane reproached himself. Then he re-
allied that the reproach was because
Of the daughter. Inquiry had brought
him the fact that Ray Longstreth had
just come to live with her father. Long
streth had originally been a planter in
Louisiana, where his family had re-
manned after his advent in the west.
He was rich rancher; he owned half
of Fairdale; he was cattle buyer on
large scale. Floyd Lawson was his
lieutenant and associate in deals.
On the afternoon of the fifth day of
puanes stay in Fairdale he returned
to the inn from his usual stroll, and
upon entering was amazed to have a
rough looking young fellow rush by
him out of the door. Inside, Laramie
was lying on the floor with a bloody
bruise on his face. He did not appear
to be dangerously hurt.
DO Snecker! He hit me and went
after the cash drawer" said Laramie,
laboring to his feet
Are you hurt much?" queried Du-
ane.
Il guess not. But 30 needn't to have
soaked me. I've been robbed before
without that"
Wei. I'll take look after Bo.' re-
He went out and Glanced down +ba