Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-06-29
II haven't any idea," replied Duane

- nave 10 pun the WOOL over
Kate BANDS eyes, an even if she falls
thet won't be easy. AM she'd kill you
in a minnit, Buck, if she ever got wise.
You amt mistaken her none, are you?'
Not me, Euchre. She's a woman I'd
fear her more than any man
Wal. you'll have to kill Bland an
some others, before you can ride off
into the hills with tibet girl"
why? Can't we plan to be nice to
Mrs. Bland and then at an opportune
time sneak off without any gun-play?"
o see how on earth,' returned
Euchre, earnestly. when Blands away
he leaves all kinds Of spies an scouts
watchin' the valley trails. They've all
got rifles. You couldn't get by them.
But when the boss is home there's a
difference. Only, Of course, him an
Chess keep their eyes peeled. They both
stay at home pretty much, except when
they're playin' monte or poker over at
Benson's. So l say the best bet is to
pick out a good time in the afternoon,
drift over careless-like with a couple of
hosses, choke Mrs. Bland or knock her
on the head, take Jennie with you, an
make a rush to get u of the valley. If
you had luck you might pull tibet stunt
without THROWN a gun. But l reckon
the best figgerin' would include dodgin'
some lead an leavin' at least bland or
Alloway dead behind you. I'm hggerin'
of course, that when they come home
an find out you're visitin' Kate fire.
%quently. they'll just naturally look fer
results. Chess don't like you, for nc
reason except you're swift on the draw
of this gun-play business. No one can
ever tell who's the swiiter Of two gun
men till they meet. Tfot fact holds a
fascination mebbe you'n learn some
day. Bland would treat you civil onless
there was reason not to, an then 1 don't
believe he'd invite himself to a meetin'
with you. He'd set Chess or Rugg to
put you out Of the way. Still BANDS nc
coward, an If you came across him at
a bad moment you'd nave to be quicker
N you was with Bosomer."
All right. I'll meet what comes" said
Duane, quietly. "The great point is to
have horses ready and pick the right
moment, then rush the trick through"
"Thet's the only chance for success.
An you can't do it alone"
TIL have to. I wouldn't ask you to
help me. Leave you behind!"
Wal, I'll take my chances" replied
Euchre, gruffly. I'm goin' to help Jen-
ME, o can gamble you last peso on
tibet. There's only four men in his camp
who would shoot me-Bland an his
right-hand pards, an tibet rabit-faced
Benson. If you happened to put out
Bland and Chess. I'd stand a good show
with the other two. Anyway, I'm old an
tired-what's the difference If I do get
plugged? l can risk as much as you,
Buck, even if l am afraid of g%un-play.
You are correct, Hoses ready, the
right minnit, then the trick Tibet much
IS settled, Now let's figger all the little
details.
They talked and planned, though in
truth it was Euchre who planned,
Duane who listened and agreed. While
awaiting the return Of Bland and his
lieutenants it would be well for Duane
to grow friendly with the other out
laws, to sit in a few games of monte, or
show a willingness to spend a little
money. The two schemers were to call
upon Mrs. Bland every day-Euchre to
carry messages of cheer and warning to
at any cost. These p~reliminaries de-
cided upon, they proceeded to put
them into action.
No hard ask vas it to win the friend
ship Of the most Of those good-natured
outlaws. They We're used to men Of a
better order than theirs coming to the
hidden camps and o or later sink
ing to their lower level. Besides, with
them everything was easy come, easy
go. That was why life itself went on SO
c~arelessly and usually ended so cheaply.
There were men among them, however,
that made Duane feel that terrible in
applicable wrath rise in his breast. He
could not bear to be near them. He
could not trust himself. He felt tina any
instant a word, a deed. something
might can too deeply to that instinct he
could no longer control. Jackrabbit
Benson was Of these man. Because
OF him nj other outlaws of his ik
Duane could scarcely ever forget the
reality of things. This was a hidden
valley. a robbers den, a rendezvous for
murderers, a wild place stained red by
deeds of wild men. And because of that
there was always a charged atmos-
phers. The merriest, idlest, most care-
less moment might in the flash of an
eye end in ruthless n tragic action,
In an assemblage Of desperate charac-
ters it could not be otherwise. The ter
rible thing that Duane sensed was this.
The valley was beautiful, sunny, frag-
rant, a place to dream in; the noun
tain-tops were always blue or gold
trimmed. the yellow river slid slowly and
majestically by, the birds sang in the
cottonwoods. h horses grazed and
pranced, children played and women
|longed for love, freedom, happiness; the
outlows rode in and out, free with
money n speech; they lived comfort
ably In their adobe homes, smoked,
talked, laughed. whiled away the idle
hours-and all the time life there was
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be 'precipitated by that evil into the
most awful OF contrasts. Duane felt
rather than saw a dark, brooding
shadow over the valley.
Then, without any solicitation or en-
couragement from Duane, the Bland
woman fell p~assionately In love with
him. His conscience was never troubled
about the beginning Of that affair. She
launched herself. It took no great pers-
ficuity on his part to see that. And the
thing which evidently held her in check
was the newness, the strangeness, and
for the moment the all-satisfying fact
of hts respect for her. Euane exerted
himself to please, to axnuse, to interest
Ito fascinate her, and Always with de-
ference. That was his strong point, and
1t had made his part easy 30 far. He
believed ho would carry the whole
scheme through without involving him
SELF any deeper.
He wAs playing at q game OF love
playing with life and death! Sometimes
he trembled. not that lie feared: Bland
or AllcyEay Or any other man, but al
the. de&N5a ok nfo he had come to ,,see
into. Heawas carried out OF his old
mood. Not once since this daring mos
jtiye had stirred him had he been haunt
ed ~ the phantom Of Balm beside his
bad. Rather had he been haunted by
Jennf9s sad fAce, her. wistful smile, he,
A-tA lk-