The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-06-29
CHAPTER VI (Continued).

I'll tell you. Duane" she said, earn
estly, I'm sure glad IL you mean to
bide here awhile. I'm a miserable
woman, Duane. I'm an outlaws wife,
and I hate him and the life 1 have to
lead. l come of a good family in
Brownsville. / never knew Bland was
an outlaw till long after he married me.
We were separated at times, and /
imagined he was away on business. But
the truth came out. Bland shot my
cousin, who told me. Ny family cast
me off, and had to flee with Bland. /
was only Is then. rye lived here since
never see a decent woman or man;
i never hear anything about my old
home or folks or friends. I'm buried
here--buried alive with lot Of thieves
and murderers. Can you blame me for
being glad TO see a young fellow-a
gentleman-like the boys l used to go
with? tell you II makes me feel full
I want to cry. I'm sick for somebody
to talk to. have no children, thank
God! If 1 had I'd not stay here. I'm
sick Of this hole. I'm lonely"
There appeared to be no doubt about
the truth of all this. Genuine emotion
checked, then halted the hurried speech.
She broke down and cried. 1t seemed
strange to Duane that an outlaws wife
and a woman who fitted her consort
and the wild nature of their surround
ings-shouId have weakness enough to
weep, Duane believed and pitied her,
I'm sorry for YOU" he said.
3 Don't be sorry for me-" she said.
That only makes me see the-the diff
ference between you and me. And
don't pay any attention to what these
outlaws say about me. They're ignor-
ant. They couldn't understand me.
You'll hear that Bland killed men who
ran after me. But that's a lie. Bland,
like all the other outlaws along this
river is always looking for somebody
to kill. He swears not. but don't be-
lieve him. He explains that gunplay
gravitates to- men who are the real
thing-that 1t is provoked by the four
flushes, the bad men. / don't know.
All l know is that somebody Is being
killed every other day. He hated Spence
before Spence ever saw me-"
would Bland object IL called on
you OCCASIONALLY" inquired Duane.
mo, he wouldn't. He likes me to have
friends. Ask him yourself when he
comes back. The trouble has been that
two or three OF his men fell in love
with me. and when half drunk got to
fighting. You're not going to do that"
I'm not going to get half drunk,
that's certain" replied Duane.
He was surprised to see her eyes di-
could reply Erchre returned to the
porch, and that put an end TO the con-
versatlon. .
Duane was content to let the matter
rest there, and had little more to say.
Euchre and Mrs. Bland talked and
Joked, while Duane listened. He tried
to form some estimate Of her character.
Manifestly she had suffered q wrong,
IL not worse, at BANDS hands. She was
bitter, morbid, International. II she
was liar, which seemed likely enough,
she was frank one, and believed her
self. She had no cunning. The thing
which struck Duane so forcibly was
that she thirsted for respect. In that,
better than in her weakness of vanity,
he thought he had discovered a trait
through which he could manage her.
Once, while he was revolving these
thoughts, he happened to glance into
the house, and deep in the shadow Of a
corner he caught pale CLEAN of Jen-
MES face with great, staring eyes on
him. She had been watching him, lis
tening to what he said. He saw from
her expression that she had realized
what had been so hard for her to be-
lieve. Watching his chance, he flashed
a look at her; and then II seemed to
him the change In her face was won
derful
Later after he had left Mrs. Bland
with meaning "Adios-manana," and
was walking along beside the old out
law, he found himself thinking OF the
girl instead Of the woman, and Of how
he had seen her face blaze with hope
and gratitude.