The Benson signal., 1916-12-02

road that appeared to have been used
occasionally for cattle-driving. AS
| he had ridden in from the west, this
northern direction led him into totally
unfamiliar country. While he passed
on, however, he exercised such keen
| observation that in the future he
would know whatever might be of
service to him if he CHANGED that
way again.
After a couple Of hours riding he
entered a town which he soon dis
covered to be Bradford. It was the
largest town he had visited since
Maria, and he calculated must have
thousand or fifteen hundred in
habitants, not including Mexicans.
He decided this would be a good
place for him to hold up for while,
being the nearest town to Ord, only
forty miles away. So he hitched his
horse in front of store and leisurely
set about studying Bradford.
It was after dark, however,
that Duane verified his suspicious con-
cerning Bradford. The town was
awake after dark, and there was one
long row Of saloons, dance-halls,
gambling-resorts in full blast. Duane
visited them all, and was surprised
to see wildness and license equal to
that of the old river camp Of BANDS
in it's palmiest days. Here it was
forced upon him that the farther west
one travelled along the river the
sparser the respectable settlements,
the more numerous the hard charac.
ters, and in consequence the greater
the element Of lawlesSness. Duane
returned to his lodging-house with the
conviction that MacNelly's task of
cleaning up the Big Bend country
was a stupendous one. Yet, he re-
fiected, a company Of intrepid and
quick-shooting rangers could have
soon cleaned up this Bradford.
The innkeeper had one other guest
that night, long-coated and wide
sombreroed Texan who reminded
Duane of his grandfather. This man
had penetrating eyes, a courtly man.
ner, and an unmistakable leaning to.
ward companionship and mintjuleps.
The gentleman introduced himself as
Colonel Webb, Of Maria, and took II
as matter Of course that Duane
made no comment about himself.
Duane, as always, was a good
listener. Colonel Webb told, among
other things, that he had come out
to the Big Bend to look over the
affairs of a deceased brother who
had been a rancher and a sheriff of
one of the towns, Fairdale by name.
"Found no affairs, no ranch, not
even his grave" said Colonel Webb.
"And I tell you, sir, If hell's any.
tougher than this Fairdale I don't
want to expiate my sins there"
"Fairdale. imagine sheriffS
have a hard row to hoe odt here"
replied Duane, trying not to appear
curious.
The Colonel swore Justify.
"What this frontier needs, sir, is
about six companies of Texas Rang
ers. A fine body of men, sir, and the
salvation Of Texas"
Governor Stone doesn't entertain
that opinion" said Duane.
Here Colonel Webb exploded. Mani
festly the governor was not his choice
for chief executive Of the great
state. He talked politics for while,
and Of the vast territory west Of the
PecOS that seemed never to get a
benefit from Austin. Duane exerted
himself to be agreeable and interest
ing; and he saw presently that here
was an opportunity to make a valu-
able acquaintance. if not a friend.
"rm a stranger in these parts"
said Duane, finally. "What is this
outlaw situation you speak Off"
"It's damnable, sir, and unbeliev-
able. Not rustling any more, but
just wholesale herd-stealing, in which
some big cattlemen, supposed to be
honest, are equally guilty with the
outlaws. On this border, you know,
the rustler has always been able to
steal cattle in any numbers. But to
get rid Of big bunches-that's the
hard job. The gang operating be-
tween here and Valentine evidently
have not this trouble. Nobody knows
where the stolen stock goes. But I'm
not alone in my opinion that most Of
it goes to several big stockmen. They
ship to San Antonio, Austin, New
Orleans, also to El Paso."
"Wholesale business, eh7" remarked
Duane. "Who are these-er-big
stOck-buyers"
Colonel Webb seemed q little
startled at the abrupt query. He
bent his penetrating gaze upon Duane
and thoughtfully stroked his pointed
beard.
"Names, Of course, I'll not mention.
Opinions are one thing, direct accusa-
ton another. This is not a healthy
country for the informer."
When it came to the outlaws them
selves Colonel Webb was disposed to
talk freely. The great name along
the river was Cheseldine, but it SEEM
ed to be a name detached from an