Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-07-26
ei1AI'rER Nj (ConlinledD.

bloodshed," observed Duane. pretty
decesnt 0r him. if he meant that"
III invites you out to his am after
ualh> Something strange about this,
Duane. Eut MaciNelly's Il new man
out here. He does some queer things.
PerlA;tS4s he's getting u swelled head.
Well, hateVer his Intentions, his pres
ence around Mercer is enough for us.
duane YOU hit the o and put some
miles Between you and the alniable
Captain before daylight. Tomorro" IN
go 0Rt there and ask him wha IN the
devil he meant"
"Fhal messenger he sent-he was u
rangaE," sad Duane.
"SuYsa he Was, ana Il ncrVy one. 1t
must ktve taken sand to ccme bracing
You thai way. Duane, the fellow didn't
pacE Il gum IN swear TO that. Pretty
oad. this trick. Eut YOU can't trust it.
HIT tAe road. Duane
a little laler IA l!ack horsc. with muf-
fled hGnis. bearing u tall. dark rider
who pecrcd keenly into every shadow,
lro:Ved aUWn u pasture lane aack OF
Jones hHti~e. turned INTO i.le road, and
then, kyeaNiilg mao switter gait. rapidly
left Mcrs,,r behind.
FRte.h or - miles oil Duane drew
rein in "a forest OF mesquite. dismount-
ed, ant. aearcned about toy Il glade With
u lttbO grass. Here lie at2he1 his horse
- '"Hs.e 49, = sNAN"as N-'f'AA.o sf'c
for :. pillow, his SADDLE blanket for COW
erlng, he went to sleep.
Next HNlnins he was off again,
working soNtn. During the next few
DAYS he paid brief visits to several VIII
i. 'ss. tl.',t lay III his lath. And IN
ea,t,,, SOME ono particular friend mad a
piece ct news to impart that made Du-
profoundly thoughtful. A ranger
had raadc II quiet, unobtruSive call up
ON these friends and left this message:
Tell BMck Duane 10 rice into Captain
MacNclty 3. CANT, some time after
night.
p.RsnG concluded, and his friends all
agreed with h.sn, thai the new rang
er's main purpose in the Nueces coun-
try was to capture or kill Buck Duane,
that this message was simply an
original and striking ruse. the daring
of, wbhli might appeal Il" certain out
laws.
Rat y old not appeal To Duane. His
curiosity was aroused: it did mol, how
evet. tempt him to do any fonlhacdy
act, He turned southwest and rode 100
miles Gnth .t again ,earilea the
sparsely scttled country. Here he heard
no More 0f rangers. 1t was Il barren
region he had V but once ridden
through, AND that ride a cost him
dearly. BE had been compelled TO shoot
ms way nnt. Outlaws We're not in ac-
cord with tho few ranchers and their
coWPunchers who ranged there. Hc
learned that both outlaws and Mexican
raiders had long been at bitter enmity
with these runchers. Being unfamiliar
With roads ana trails. Duane had
pushed ON into the heart OF til,s district,
when all the time he really believed
he waa travelling around it. \ rifle
shot from u ranch house, II deliberate
attempt to H. him because he was aa
nnkaAtwi, rider in those parts, ~isscov-
o.ed to Duane his mistake. and = HARD
ride TO get away persuaded him 20 re-
Iurn TO his old metlios:s of slidiGs by
DAY ants travelling by nis..t.
He got mo rough country, role for
three days without covering much
ground, hNt believed he yFaS getting OH
safer territory. Twice he came 10 q
wide bottom land. green With willow
&c cottonwood IL thick AS c,..tpar-
Pa, srrnewileic through the mit!Glc OF
The .t..,.;ar Nueces.
OEc evening. IS he stole out from a
covert where he had carnped. he 2aw
the Nights OF IA village. He tried
to PASS II on the left. hut was
unable to because the brakes of
this bottom land EXTENDED in almost
TO tho outskirts Of the village. and he
had 10 Yetrace his steps and go round
TO the right. Wire fences and horses in
phHtilTc mode this d task. SO ii was wall
after midnight before he accosnniished
It. + made 10 miles or more then by
davhght. and after that proceeded eau
]: ptsS Alonssa Q which appeared to
we'll worn from travel. Iic passed
~several thiokets where he would have
l,alted 10 hide during the day hut for
the Fact that he had to find water.
HE was y long while coming to il. and
then there was no thicket or clump Of
near the water-hole that
would afford him cover. So he kept On.
Ine COUNTRY before him was ridgy
and began to show cottonwoods here
y There In the ollows ana yucca and
on the higher ground. Az ne
mOnntcdsa ridge he noted tns.t the road
made a sharp turn. and he could not
see what Was beyond It. He slowed D
= was making the turn, which was
clay. when his mettlesome horse heard
something to frighteh him or ehied ~
something and bOlted.
The teH bounds before Duane,s iron
arm checked. him were enough ia rench
the. curve. One flashing glance showed
pnanes MO open once more. a little yul-
1ess below with q wide, shallow. rocky
rsf'ea1A,, 2 Clnrnp Of cottonwoods beyon.
g 5soniber group Of men facing him. and
Two Dark limp, strangely R~roteanue
fiyures hanging from branches.
ss:Ias aa8ef was common enough in
but Duane had never
fseose fonrd hin1self no unpieasantly
Ashoarse voice pealeds out: .e1sy he'll,
another aone!"
ss&stasakeh stidesdown an account fer
yoiazsslft' syet1ed Another. =
sa6SSdo Npts qS, 8
cfiaiIoes. No. hamf"
Sc,h~ s,.s.ss sMitt!y Mt