The Oakes times., 1916-12-21

with me?"
''trr,n'n!y."
'Dunnc, I'm sure glad 10 n"c, you"
went on Mnc\"ly: and he extended
his hama.
Amazed and touched. scarcely rcnliz.
Ing this actually Nmnn" CAV" his hand
and felt nE unmS,nknLlc grip Of
warmth
''lt doesn't seem natural. Captain
meet you" said Duane sohcrly.
''You will he. Now we'll go back tn
camp. Keep your identity mum for the
present"
He led Duane in the direction of the
cnnlp-!irc.
"lHrk"ns. go back on duty" nc
ordered. "nnd. BccSon. you look after
this horse
When Duane got beyond the line
"f mesquite. which had hid good
view Of tn" Climp site. hc saw u group
Of perhaps fifteen rangers sitting
ar"ini ~ fires near n long. low shed
where l"rscs were feeding. and
small .t!"h" hous" at one side.
"W"v" just had grub. Int I'll see YOU
get s,''r '' w"'ll talk" said
MnrNr,ly. "Iv" taken ,lp temporary
CURRIERS' here. Tlav" !: rustlrr job on
hand. N"w. when you've eaten. come
ri.ht into tl" house."
punn" was hungry. hut he hurried
through the nnpl" supper that was
set lrfor" him. urged on by curiosity
and establishment. While eating he
l,H,l bent keen eyes around him. After
n first quiet scrutiny The rangers np-
pnr"nilv paid no NOR" attention to
him. They were all veterans in Srrv-
ir"-Drnnr saw tha'-nnd rugged
powerful men Of iron constitution
l,.-f,i'. II general conversation of
r:Jmpir" nnturc. Duane WAS moi do
c"iy"d ai,"ui tl" fact that his advent
hrd ircn nm unusual and strii.in. one.
cnpi,s;,lr" and even Consideration
nrnou- them. T'hcsr rnn@"rs wrr" too
w",l trainc, 10 appear openly ct!rinls
'nlt their captains guest. ~ 1t
Wis. Duane felt . suSI"n>r that must
.aye horn due to hint of hia
identity.
~" 7s not long IN presenting hin.
sell a' n.' da," OF ~, hpg,'
"ce. in md ha,r rtnlir." said
Mac & In"tio'i- for fl,r on.. o;N"r
orr. { ~" room /" rise. 'i.c"ve
uS. '..-i' md closr the dp~. I'll
/" 'I. - ''os" reports ri4hf Ill.
.iy ,Ht NJ - iatlr i..oHn which
Wa 4mn and various i.ap"rs sen
in 'in. li..lr lie WAS II hn"-looi,in@.
s''dLrg* l - of al,";lt forty wears.
d1rs haired aud dark-ryc,I. with a
iriIrd .ar" ~nrrwd. stern. s,rni. yet
u"t wanting il liindlincss. II" scanned
i@Stily oyer S":'ir papers. fused with
th":n. aah hnaiIy put them in enve-
i"p.s. %ri'iil... back in his chair. he
'#rDd Duane. Iu:i!;i.is Il vain attempt
10 hide what .uu-t iHy" l""n the full
tilHcnt of ~ Ion. -ncuri>ilrd curiosity.
'Ip'inn". I've been i"pin. for this
fer two years" lie began.
Duane smiled li,'.r-a smile that
felt strange on his face. lie had never
been much "f II ,al!ser. And speech
here seemed more than ordinarily diff.
cult.
MncNclly must have felt that
He looked long and earnestly al
Duane. and his quick. nervous manner
changed to grave tho,l.htfu!ne>s.
Ever hear from home since yor
left WellSton?' II" asked. abruptly.
"N"." replied Duane. sadly.
That's tough. I'm glad 20 he abl'
to tell you that up TO just lately YOU
mother. sister. uncIe-all your folks
I bclieve-were well. I've kept posted
But haven't heard lately"
Duane averted his face n moment
hesitated till the swelling left hi
throat. and then said. "It's worth wha
went through to-day to hear that"
II can imagine how you feel abou
1t. When I was in the war-hu; let
get down to the business Of this NEE,
ing"
He pulled his chair close to Duane'i
"YOu've had word more than ono
in the last two years that wanted I
see you. why didn't you hunt me up?
J Il supposed you imagined me one G
D those gun-fighters who couldn't take
dare and expected me to ride up I
e your camp and be arrested"
: THAT was natural. I suppose" wer
on MacNelly. "You didn't know III,
D otherwise you would have come. Ty
d been n long time getting to you. Br
the nature of my job. as far as you,
d concerned. made me cautious. Duan
you're aware Of the hard name 20
d bear all over the Southwest"
u "Once in while I'm Jared in,
o realizing" replied Duane.
ITS the hardest. barring Murre
. and CheSeldinc. on the Texas horde
But there's this difference. Murre
in his day was known 10 deserve
e infamous name. CheSeldine in his ds
also. But I've found hundreds of m.