The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-08-17
Stranger. this heah me- tropoles
bears the handle Ord. Is thet now 10

y
the stranger. Other men crowded
close. forming u circle, curious. ready
] TO pe. friendly or otherwise, according
/ to now the tad interrogato tor marked the
/ newcomer.
Sure, ord's little strange to me
| on the railroad some, Amt 1t? Funny
| trails hereabouts."
How fur was you goin'?
| Il reckon l was soin as far as
could replied the stranger, with hard
laugh.
His reply had subtle reaction on that
! listening circle. Some OF the men eN-
changed chances. Fletcher stroked his
full, but lost something of that piercing
scrutiny.
Wal. Ords the jumpin off place." he
said, presently. sure you've heerd of
the Big Bend country?"
i sure have, an was maxim tracks
fer IL" replied the stranger.
Fletcher turned toward a man In
the outer edge of the group. "Knell,
come In heah."
This individual elbowed his way in
and was seen to be scarcely more than
boy. almost pale beside those bronzed
men, with long, eXpressionless face
thin and sharp.
wheeled to the stranger. "What'd you
call yourSelf?"
I'd hate to mention what I've been
calm myself lately"
This sally fetched another laugh. The
stranger appeared cool, careless, indif-
ferent. Perhaps he knew as the others
present knew, that this show of Fletch-
er's, this pretense of Introduction, was
merely talk while he was looked over.>
knell stepped up, and it was easy to
see, from the way Fletcher relinQuished
his part in the situation, that a man
greater than he had appeared upon the
scene.
Any business here?" he queried
curly. When he spoke his expression
less face was in strange contrast with
the ring, the quality, the cruelty of his
voice. This voice betrayed an absence
of humor, of friendliness, of heart
Nope" replied the stranger.
Know anybody hereabouts?'
Nary one"
Jest ridin' through?"
Yep"
'Slopin' fer back country, eh?"
There came pause. The stranger
appeared to grow little resentful and
drew himself up disdainfully.
Wal. considerin' you-aH seem so
damn friendly an oncurious down here
in this Big Bend country, l don't mind
sayin' yes-I am in on the dodge" he
replied, with deliberate sarcasm
From west of Ord-out Ell Paso way,
mebbe?"
Sure"
"A-huh! Thet SOP" Knells words,
cutting the air, stilled the room. You're
from way down the river. Thet's what
they say down thereon the dodge
Stranger, you're a liar!"
With swift clink OF spur and thump
of boot the crowd split, leaving Kneil
and the stranger In the center.
Wild breed of that ilk never made a
mistake In judging a mans nerve
hneil had cut out with the trenchant
call, and stood ready. The stranger
suddenly lost his every semblance to
the rough and easy character before
manifest in him. He became bronze
That situation seemed familiar to him.
His eyes held singular piercing light
that danced like a compass needle
Sure l lied" he said; so I amt
akin offense at the way you called
ne. I'm lookin' to make friends, not
enemies. You don't strike me as one
somebody. But, If you are-go ahead
IN open the ball. ~ You see, L
never throw a gun on them fellers till
hey go fer theirs.
Knell cody eyed his antagonist, his
strange face not changing in the least
ct somehow it was evident in his look
hat here was metal which rang diff
,erently from what he had expected.
invited to start fight or withdraw, as
le chose, Knell proved himself big iii
ne manner characteristic CT only the
genuine gunman.
Stranger, l pass" he said and, turn
ns to the bar, he ordered liquor
The tension relaxed, the silence
broke, the men filled up the gap; the
Incident seemed closed. Jim Fletcher
himself to the stranger, and
low both respect and friendliness tenn
oered his asperity.
Wal, fer want Of a better handle,
I'll call you Dodge" he said.
"Dodges as good as any.
Gents, line up again-an', if you can't
pc friendly, be CAREFUL"
Such was Buck Duane's debut in tho
little outlaw hamlet Of Ord.
Duane had been three montha out
IF the NUeces country. At El Paso
Re bought the finest horse he could
ind, and, armed and otherwise outfit
ed to suit him, he had taken to UNI
Known trails. Leisurely he rode rom
own to town, village to village, ranch
% ranch, fitting his talk and his occu-
patton to the impression he wanted to
make upon different people whom he
net. He was in turn a cowboy,
cattleman, a stock buyer, a
boomer, land hunter; and, long be-
ore he reached the wild and inhospit-
outlaw, drifting into new territory. He
passed on leisurely because he wanted
10 learn the lay of the country, the To-
cation of villages and ranches, the
work, habit, gossip, pleasures, and
'ears of the people with whom
ne came in contact. The one sub
iect most impelling to him-out-
aws-he never mentioned; but by talk
ng all around it, sitting the old ranch
ind cattle story, he acquired a knowl-
edge calculated to aid his plot. In this
ZANE time was of no moment; if nee
sssary he would take years to accom-
olish his task. The stupendous and
oerilous nature of it showed in the
;low, wary preparation. When he heard
s'letcher's name and faced Knell he
Knew he had reached the place he
sought Ord was hamlet on the
fringe Of the grazing country, of doubt
Jul honesty. from which, surely. wind
ng trails led down into that free and
never disturbed paradise of outlaws
he Big Bend.
Duane made himself agreeable, yet
not too much so, to Fletcher and sew
eral other men disposed to talk and
drink and eat; and then, after having
\ care for his horse, he rode out Of
town couple of miles to grove he
. <..1rx.<1 i L.