The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-08-31

But he did not follow up that look
with the affirmative Dus-e expected.
Lively place, / hear >Falrdale isl"
Amt SC lively as Sanderson, but
it's bigger" Z
Yes, / heard It was. Fellow down
there was talking about two cowboys
who were arrested"
Sure. I heered all about that. Joe
Bean an Brick Higgins-they belong
heah, but they amt heah much. Long
streth's boys"
Duane did not val to appear over
inquisitive, sc 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 a 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 n
going--a dusty booted crowd that
smelled of horses and smoke. Duane
sat down for q while, with wide eyes
m open ears. Then he hunted up the
bar, where most of the guests had been
or were going. He found a great square
room lighted by six huge lamps, q bar
at n side, all the floor space
taken up by tables and chairs. This
was the only gambling place Of any
SIZE III SOulneTn lSAaS III WHICH ne nau
noted the absence of MeXicans. There
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 q room.
Duane sat down on the steps of the
dingy little restaurant. Two men were
conversing inside, and they a not
noticed Duane.
Laramie. what's the strangers
name?" asked e
II didn't say" replied the other.
Sure was a %strappin' big man.
tleman, him. How'd you size him."
We'll, like n of them cool, easy.
quiet Texans who's been lookin' for a
man for y~ears--to kill him when he
found him"
Right you are, Laramie; and, be-
tween you an me, I hope he's lookin'
for Long"
"S-sh!" interrupted Laramie. You
must be half drunk. to go talkin' that
way"
Thereafter they %conversed in too low
a 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
dale. al was not communicative.
Duane went to his room in a thought
full frame Of mind. Had Laramie's Wis
itor 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 It. And he felt also, if there was
a crooked and dangerous man, 1t 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 a sad and dark and endless
void lay between hat past and the
present! He had no right even to
dream OF a beautiful woman like Ray
Longstreth. That conviction, however,
did not dispel her; indeed, 1t seemed
perversely to make her grow more fas-
chatting. Duane grew conscious Of a
strange, unaccountable hunger, a some
thing that was like a pang in his breast.
Next day he lounged about the inn.
He did not make any oVertures to the
taciturn proprietor. Duane had no need
Of hurry now. He contented himself
with watching and listening. nj at
the close Of day he decided Fairdale
was what MacNelly had claimed 1t to
be, n that ne vas 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 q little less furtiVe and reticent
after that. He would answer casual
queries, n 1t did not take Duane long
to learn that Laramie had seen better
dayS-that he was now broken, bitter
AMI lard. Some one had wronged him.
Several days passed. Duane did not
succeed in getting any closer to Lara
mie, 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 n 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 h a spoke forcibly Of easy and
crooked requirement. Duane decided
that Sanderson, Bradford and Ord were
but notorious %outposts to this Fairdale,
which was Q. secret center Of rustlers
and outlaws. And what struck Duane
strangest of all was the fact that Long
streth was mayor here n held court
daily. DUANE knew intuitively, before
q chance remark gave him proof, that
this was a sham, a farce. And
he wondered IL 1t were not a blind. This
wonder of his was equivalent to sus-
picion 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 a rich rancher; he owned half
Of F'airdale; he was q cattle buyer on
a large scale. Floyd Lawson was his
lieutenant and associate In deals.
On the afternoon of the fifth day OF
! Duane's 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.
"Bo Snecker! He hit me and went
after the cash drawer" said Laramie,
laboring to his feet.
Are you hurt much?" queried Du-
ane.
II guess not. But BE needn't to have