The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-07-27
CHAPTER NJ tcontinuea>.

/
Maybe ,he captain wants TO eiv
me fair cnance 10 surrender withou
| hloodshei," observed Duane. ''INrstt.
| decent OF him, If he meant that"
| lse invites you our to his came afte
| dark. Something strange about this
1 Duane. But AaCNeiiys a new maj
ol.t here, He does some queer things
Perhaps he's getting swelled head
Wen, whatever his Intentions, his pres
ence around Mercer is enough for US
miles between yop and The sIniahI;
captain before daylight Tomorrow II
60 out there and ask him what III tht
devil he meant
That messenger lie sent--he was
ranger" said Duane,
Sure he was, and neTvT one! i
must have taken sand to come hraCins
Yen that way Duane, the fellow didnt
pack d gun. I'll swear TO that Pretty
odd, This trick But you can't trus, il
Hit the road, Duane
a little later t}ack horse, With r2uf-
flea ho0fs, bear rs a taH dark rider
who peered keenly into every shadow
uotted down a pasture lane back o.
Jones house, turned into t.,a road, anG
then, breaking into swIitsr gait, rapidly
lei Mercer behind
4 IL LfHtta III ~ l444ltS tIL Alk-4i.S ts4 ( "
rein IN a forest of mesquite, disnaount-
ed, ana searched about for 3 glade with
little grass. fzeTe he staked his horse
on a long lariat; and, using his saddle
for q pillow, his S.addle blanket for c0y-
eriag, he went 10 sleep.
Next morning he was of again
working south. During the next few
days he paid brief visits 10 several VII
lagos that lay in MS path. And IN
each some one particular friend had q
piece OF news to inpart that made Du-
ane profoundly thoughtful. y ranger
had made q quiet, unobtrusive call up
on these friends and left this MESA sc:
Tell Buck Duane 10 ride into Captain
NacNelly's camp some time after
night.
Duane concluded, and his friends all
agreed with him, that the new rang
ers main purpose in the NGeces coun-
try was TO capture or kill Buck Duane,
and that this message was simply an
original and striking ruse. the daring
OF which might appeal 10 certain out
laws.
But II did not appeal to Duane. His
curiosity was aroused; it did not, how
eyer, tempt him TO do any foolhardy
act. He turned southwest and rode 100
mics until he again reached the
sparseiy settled country. Here he heard
no more of rangers. It was barren
region he had never but once ridden
through, and that ride had cost him
dearly. He had been compelled to shoot
his way out. Outlaws were not in ac-
cord with the few ranchers and their
cowpnnchers who ranged there. He
learned that both outlaws and Mexican
raiders had long been at bitter enmity
with these rancherS. Being unfamiliar
with roads and trails. Duane had
pushed on into the heart OF this district,
when all the time he really believed
he was travelling around it. a rifle
shot from a ranch house, a delibera te
attempt TO Kill him because he was an
unknown rider in those parts, discov-
cred to Duane his mistake. and a hard
ride to get away persuaded him to re-
turn 10 his old methods of hiding by
day and travelling by night.
He got into rough country. rode for
three days without covering much
ground, but believed he was getting on
safer territory. Twice he came to a
aud cottonwood and thick as chapar-
raj somewhere through the middle OF
which ran a river he decided must be
the lower Nueces
Ore evening. as he stole out from a
covert where he had camped, he saw
the lights of village. He tried
to pass it on the left, but was
uitSplS " BECAUSE li!S brakes or
this bottom land extended In almost
to the outskirts of the village, and he
had TO retrace his steps and go round
to the right. Wire fences and horses in
pasture made this task, SO 1t was we'll
after midnight before he ACCOMPLISHED
1T. He made 10 miles or more then by
daylight, and after that proceeded eau
housiy along a road which appeared to
be well worn from travel He passed
faf rhayn no Il I,srx
halted to hide during the day but for
the fact that he had to find water
re was long while coming to 1t, and
then there was no thicket or clump OF
mesquite near the water-hole that
would afford him cover. So he kept on
The country before him was ridgy
and began to show cottonwoods here
and there in the hollows and yucca and
mesquite on the higher ground. As he
mounted ridge he noted that the road
made sharp turn, and he could not
sec what was beyond it. He slowed uE
and was making the turn, which was
down hill between high banks Of yellow
Gay, when his mettlesomc horse heard
sotnething to brighten him or SHE'D al
something and bolted
The few bounds before Duane's iror
arm checked hun were enough to reach
the curve. One flashing glance showed
duane the open once more. a little val
ley below with wide, shallow, rocky
stream, q cl,imp Of cottonwoods beyond
somber group of men facing him. ant
Two dark. limp, strangely grotesque
lsnres hanging from branches
Tie sight was common enough il
sopthWest Texas. but Duane had never
Before found himself SO unpleasant.
Close.
4 a haarse voice pealed out: by hell
there's another one.n.