The Ozark spectator., 1916-11-22
CHAPTER XIX.

Strangers rode into Fairdale; and other hard-looking customers, new to Duane if not to Fairdale. helped to create a charged and waiting atmos- phere. The saloons did unusual busi- ness and were never closed. Respect able citizens of the town were awak- ened in the early dawn by rowdies carousing in the streets.
 Duane kept pretty close under cover during the day. He did not entertain the opinion that the first time he walked down-strcet he would be target for guns. Things seldom happened that way; and when they did happen so, 1t was more accident than design. But at night he was not idle. He met Laramie. Morton, Zim- mer and others of like character; a secret club had been formed; and all the members were ready for action. Duane spent hours at night watching the house where Floyd Lawson stayed when he was not up at Longstreth'S. At night he was visited, or at least the house was, hy strange mon who were swift, Stealthy, mySterious-aii that kindly disposed friends or neigh bors would not have been. Duane had not been able to recognize any of these night visitors: and he did not think the time was ripe for bold holding up of one of them. Neverthe- less he was sure such an event would discover Lawson. or someone in that house, to be in touch with crooked men.
 Laramie was right. Not twenty four hours after his talk with Duane. In which he advised quick action, he was found behind the little bar of his restaurant with bullet-hole in his breast. dead. No one could be found who had heard shot. It had been deliberate murder. for upon the bar had been left piece of paper rudely scrawled with pencil: All friends of rangers look for the same."
 This reused Duane His first move, however, was to bury Laramie. None of Laramie's neiGhbors evinced any in- tercst in the dead man or the unfor- tunate family he had left. Duane saw tlitt iiitSC "NiS A'''N ''' check by fear. Mrs. Laramie was i'll; the shock of her husbands death was hard on her; and she had been left almost destitute with five children. Duane rented m adobe house on the outskirts of town and moved the family into 1t. Then he played the part of provider and nurse and friend.
 After several days Duane went boldly into town and showed that he meant business. It was his opinion that there were men in Fairdale secretly glad of a rangers presence. What he intended to do was food for great speculation. A company of militia could not have had the effect upon the wild element of Fairdale that Duane's presence had. It got out that he was gunman lightning swift on the draw. It was death to face him. He had killed thirty men widest rumor of all. It was actually said of him he had the gun-skill of Buck Duane or Poggin.
 At first there had not only been great conjecture among the vicious element, but also a very decided checking of all kinds of action cal culated to be conspicuous to n keen eyed ranger. At the tables, at the bars and lounging-places Duane heard the remarks: "Who's thet ranger nfteri What II he do fust or? Is he wairin' fer somebody? Who's goin' to draw on him fust-an' go to hell? Jest about how soon will he be found somewheres full of lead?"
 When 1t came out somewhere that Duane was cultlvating the honest stay-at-home citizens to array them in time against the other element, then Fairdaie showed its wolf teeth. Several times Duane was shot at in the dark and once slightly injured. Rumor had 1t that Poggin, the gun man. was coming to meet him. But the lawless element did not rise up in n mass to slay Duane on sight. If was not so much that the enemies of the law awaited his next move, but Just slowness peculiar to the frontier. There was a rude kind ot good humor even in their open hostility.
 Besides, one ranger or company of rangers could not have held the undivided intention of these men from