Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-06-29
CHAPTER vi (Continued).

"1ll tell you. Duane" she said, earn
estly, I'm sure glad If you mean to
bide here awhile. I'm a miserable
woman, Duane. I'm an outlaws wife,
and l hate him and the life I have to
lead. 1 come Of a good family in
Brownsville. l never knew Bland was
IN outlaw till long after he married me.
We were separated at times. and I
imagined he was away on business. But
the truth came out. Bland shot my
cousin. who told me. My family cast
me off. n l had to flee with Bland. l
was only 18 then. I've lived here since
l never see q decent woman or man.
| never hear anything about my old
home or folks or friends. I'm buried
here--buried alive with a lot of thieves
and nurderers. Can you blame me for
being glad to see a young fellow-a
gentleman-like the boys l used to go
with? l tell you it makes me feel full
l want to cry. I'm sick for somebody
to talk to. l nave no children, thank
God, If l had I'd not stay here. I'm
sick of this hole. Pm lonely
There appeared to be no doubt about
h truth of all this. Genuine emotion
checked, then halted the hurried speech.
She broke down and cried. 1t seemed
strange to Duane that an outlaws wife
and a woman who fitted her consort
and the wild nature of their surround
AhSo-Siloulu ilhNS WCeihIleSS clOuSl W
weep. Duane believed and pitied her.
I'm sorry for you," he said.
Don't be sorry for me-" she said.
THAT only make me see the-the diff
ference between o and me. And
don't pay any attention to what these
outlaws say about me. They're ignor-
ant. They couldn't understand me.
ran after ms. But that's 81 lie. Bland,
like all the other outlaws along this
river, is always looking for somebody
to Kill. He swears not, but l ont be-
I1eve him. He explains that gunplay
g~raVltates to men who are the real
thing-that it is provoked by the four
flushes, the bad men. l don't know.
All l know is that somebody is being
killed every other day. He hated Spence
before Spence ever saw me-"
would Bland object if 1 called on
3ou occasionally ?" inquired Duane.
NO. he wouldn't. He likes me to have
friends. Ask HIN yourself when he
two or three Of his men fell in love
with me. and when half run got to
fighting. You're not going to do that"
Tn not going to get half drunk,
that's certain" replied Duane.
He vas surprised to see her eyes d.
late, then glow with fire. Before she
could reply Euchre returned to the
- 'eAa iiSiS RAS ol SlAo " lS SOIl-
v~e-sation.
Duan was content to let the matter
rest there, and had little more to say.
Euchre n Mrs. Bland talked and
joked, while Duane listened. He tried
to form some estimate of her character.
Manffestly she had suffered a wrong,
II Dot worse. at BANDS hands. She was
bitter. morbid, emotional. If she
was a liar, which seemed likely enough,
she was a frank one, n believed her
SELF. She had no cunning. The thing
which struck Duane so forcibly was
that she thirsted for respect. In that,
better than in her weakness of vanity,
ne thought he had discovered a trait
through which he could manage her.
Once, while he was revolving these
thoughts, he happened to glance into
the house, and deep in the shadow OF a
corner he caught a pale CLEAN OF len
mes face with great, staring eyes on
him.. She had been watching him, lis
tening to what he said. He saw from
her expression that she had realized
what had been so hard for her to be-
lleve. Watching his chance, he flashed
a look at her; and then it seemed to
MIN The change in her face was won
derful.
Later. after he had left Mrs. Bland
with a meaning "Adios-manana," and
was walking along beside the old out
law, he found himself thinking Of the
girl instead of the woman, and of how
he had seen her face blaze with hone
and gratitude.