The Benson signal., 1916-10-28
"What's thatY' asked Duane.

An it doesn't cost a short bit"
"But it costs hard rides and trouble,
bad conscience, and life, too, doesn't
itY'
II amt shore about the bad con-
science. Mine never bothered me none.
An as for life, why, thet's cheap in
Texas
"Who is Bland?" asked Duane,
quickly changing the subject. "What
do you know about him?"
"We don't know who he is or where
he halls FROM" replied Euchre. "Thet's
always been somethin to interest the
gang. He must have been a young
middle-aged. I remember how years
ago he was soft-spoken an not rough
in talk or act like he is now. Bland
amt likely his right name. He knows
a lot. He can doctor you, an he's
shore a knowin' feller with tools.
He's the kind thet rules men. Outlaws
are always ridin' in here to join his
gang, an if it hadn't been fer the
gamblin' an gun-play he'd have a
thousand men around him.
''HOw many in his gang nOw?"
81 reckon there's short of hundred
now. The number varies. Then Bland
has several small camps up an down
the river. Also he has men back on
the cattle-ranges."
"How does he control such a big
force?" asked Duane. "Especially
when his bands composed of bad men.
Luke Stevens said he had no use for
Bland. And I heard once somewhere
that Bland was a devil"
sThet's it. He is a devil. He's as
hard as flint, violent in temper, never
made any friends except his right
hand men, Dave Rugg an Chess Allo-
way. Bland III shoot at wink. He's
killed lot of fellers, an some fer
nothin. The reason thet outlaws
gather round him an stick is because
he's safe refuge, an then he's well
heeled. Bland is rich. They say he
has a hundred thousand pesos hid
somewhere, an lots Of gold. But he's
free with money. He CANDLES when
he's not off with shipment of cattle.
He throws money around. An the
fact is there's always plenty of money
where he is. Thet's what holds the
gang. Dirty, bloody money!
''It's a wonder he hasn't been killed.
All these years on the border!" ex-
claimed Duane.
"Wal," replied Euchre, dryly, "hes
been quicker on the draw than the
other fellers who hankered to kill him,
thet's ALL"
Euchre's reply rather chilled
remarks always made his mind resolve
round facts pertaining to himself.
"Speakin' of this here swift wrist
game" went on Euchre, there's been
considerable talk in camp about your
THROWN of gun. I heard Bland say
this afternoon-an' he said it serious
like an speculative-thet he'd never
seen your equal. All the fellers who
seen you meet Bosomer had sOmethin'
to say. An they all shut up when
Bland told who an what your dad
was. Pears to me I once seen your
dad in a gun-scrape over at SantOne,
years ago. Wal, put my oar in to-
day among the fellers, an says:
What ails you locoed gents? Did
young Duane bulge an inch when Bo
came roarin' out, blood in his eye?
Wasn't he cool an quiet, steady of
lips, an weren't his eyes readin' Bo's
mind? An thet lightnin' draw-can't
you-all see thets a family gift?"
Euchres narrow eyes twinl1led, and
he gave the dough he was rolling a
slap with his four-whitened hand.
Manifestly he had proclaimed himself
champion and partner of Duane's,
with all the pride an old man could
feel in a young one whom he admired.
"Wal," he resumed, presently,
'thet's your introduction to the border,
Buck. An your card was a high
trump. You'll be let severely alone by
real gun-fghters an men like Bland,
Alloway, Rugg, an the bosses of the
other gangs. After all, these real men
are uCll, yOu hAOW, oA OAAASo0 w"
cross them they're no more likely to
interfere with you than you are with
them.
"The only feller who's goin' to put
a close eye on you is Benson. He runs
the store an sells drinks. The gang
calls him Jackrabbit Benson, because
he's always got his eye peeled an
his ears cooked.
GLANDS not here tonight. He left
to-day on one of his trips, takin' Allo-
way an some others. But his other
man, Rugg, he's here. Riggs the
little bow-legged man with half OF his
face shot off. He's one-eyed. But he
can shore see out of the one he's got
An there's Hardin. You know him
He's got an outlaw gang as big as
Bland's."
Euchre went on calling Duane's at
tention to other men of the band. Any
one of them would have been mark
ed man in a respectable crowd. Here
| 90 oh took his nlace with more or less