Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-09-28
familiar to me. But I wasn't sure. We

looked him over, an l left. tryin' to
place him in my mind"
"What'd he look like"
"Rangy, powerful a white hair
over his temples. still, hard face, eyes
like knives. The way he packed his
guns, the way he walked an stood an
swung his right hand shove mo what
he was. You can't fool me on the gun
sharp. An he had a grand horse, a bis
black"
I've met your man." said Longstretl..
MOI" exclaimed Knell. 1t was Won
derful to hear surprise expressed by
this man that did not In the least show
1t in his strange p~hysiognomy. Knell
laughed a short. grim. hollow laugh.
Boss. this here big gent drifts into
Ord again an makes up to Jim Fetch
er. jim. you know, Is easy led. He
like men. An. when q posse come
along trailin' a blind lead, huntin' the
wrong way for the man who held up
No. 6. why Jim-he up an takes this
stranger to DE the fly road agent an
%cottons to him. Got money out Of
him sure. An that's what stumps me
more. What's this mans game? hap
pen to know. boss. that he couldn't have
held up Nc. g."
How do you know" demanded
Longstreth.
Because 1 did the job myself"
A dark and stormy passion clouded
the chiefs face.
Damn you, Knell! You're incorrig-
ible. You're unreliable. Another break
like that queers you with me. Did you
tell Poggin?"
Yes. That's one reason we fell out.
He raved. 1 thought he was goin' to
kill me-"
Why did you tackle such a risky job
without help or plan?"
ut offered, that's all. An 1t was easy.
But it was a mistake. l go the country
| a n thu rai1r,nl holJo~;-p e., ro+l;r,
| just couldn't help it. You know what
idleness means to one Of us. You know
also that this very life breeds fatality.
It's wrong-that's why, l was born of
good parents, an l know what's right.
We're wrong, an we can't beat the end,
that's all. An, for my part, l don't
care a damn when hat comes"
Fine, wise talk from you. Knell,"
said Longstreth, ~scornfully. GO on
with your story
"As L said, Jim cottons to the pre-
tender, an they get chummy. They're
Jim told all he knew an then some. A
little liquor loosens his tongue. Several
of the boys rod over from Ord, an one
of them went to Poggin IN says Jim
Fletcher has a new man for the gang.
Poggin, you know, is always ready for
any new man. He says if one doesn't
turn out good, he can be shut off easy.
He rather liked the way this new pard
of Jtm's was boosted. Jim an Poggin
always hit 1t up together. So, until I
got on the deal, Jim's pard was already
in the gang. without Poggin or you
hard. Just where had 1 ever seen that
chap? AS 1t turned out, / never had
seen him. which accounts for my bein'
doubtful. I'd never forget any man I'd
seen: l dug up a lot Of old papers from
my kit an went over them. Letters,
| pio%,,roo olt~-t-bo o~s o1t %~-& -.---
| had a pretty good notion what 1 was
lookin' for IN who l wanted to make
sure of. AT last I found it. An Iknew
my man. But I didn't spring 1T on
Poggfn. Oh, no! 1 want to have some
fun with him when the time comes.
He'll be wilder h a trapped wolf. 1
sent Blossom over to Ord to get word
from Jim. an, when he verified all this
talk, l sent Blossom again with a mes
sage calculated to maxi Jim hump.
Poggip got sore, said he'd wait for Jim,
an l could come over to see you about
the new job. He'd meet me in Ord"
Knell had spoken hurriedly low,
now and then with passion. His pale
eyes glinted like fire in ice, and now
his voice fell to a whisper.
Who do you think Fletcher's new
man is?"
Who" demanded Longstreth.
Buck Duane!"
Down came Longstreth's boots with a
crash, then his body grew rigid.
That Nueces outlaw? two-shot
ace of spades u thrower who killed
Bland, Allowoy-2"
An Hardin" Knell whispered this
last name with more feeling the the
apparent circumstance demanded.
Yes; and Hardin, the best one of the
Rim Rock fellows-Buck Duane!"
Longstreth was so CHASTITY white now
that his black mustache seemed out
lined against chalk. He eyed his grim
lieutenant. They understood each 9TH
er without more words. It was enough
that Buck Duane was there in the Big
Benz. Longstreth rose presently and
reached for a flask, from which he
drank. then offered it to Knell. He
waved it aside.
"Knell," began the chief, slowly, as
he wiped his lips, Il gathered you have
some grudge against this Buck Duane"
Yes"
We'll, don't be a f fool now and
do what Poggin or almost any Of you
men would-don't meet this Buck Du-
ane. I've reason to believe he's a Tex
as Ranger now"
The hell you sayi" exclaimed Knell.
Yes. Go to Ord and give Jim Fetch
er a bunch. He'll get Poggin, and they
will fix even Buck Duane."
"All right. I'll 10 my best. But if I
run into Duane"
DOl I iuu AltO ulI1l LOnSSIToInS
voice fairly rang with the force of its
passion and command. He wiped his
face, drank again from the flask, sat
down, resumed his smoking, and, draw
ing a paper from his vest pocket, he
began to study it.
We'll, I'm glad that's settled" he
said, evidently referring to the Duane
matter. Now for the new job. This
IS October Is. On or before the 25th,
there viii be a shipment OF gold reach
the Ranchers' bank Of Val Verde. After
you return to Ord, give Poggin these
orders. Keep the gang quiet. You,
Poggin, Kane. Fletcher. Panhandle
Smith, and Boldt to be in on the secret
and the job. Nobody else. You'll leave
Ord on the 23rd, ride across coun-
try by the trail till you get
within sight Of Mercer. It's 100
miles from Bradford to Val Verde
about the same from Ord. Time your
travel to get you neal Val Verde on the
morning of the Goth. You won't have to
more than trot your horses. At 2
o'clock In the afternoon, sharp. ride into
town and up to the Rangers bank. Val
lVerde'S a pretty big town. Never haap