The Benson signal., 1916-11-25

and cOmely, and most of these seemed
| agitated by excitement or distress
They cast fearful, pitying glances up
on Duane as he stood there with that
moose around his neck. Women were
more human than men, Duane thought.
He met eyes that dilated, seemed
fascinated at his gaze, but were not
averted. 1t was the old women who
were voluble, loud in expression Of
their feelings.
"Thar comes jeff Aiken now" called
man, loudly.
The crowd shifted and trampled in
eagerness.
Duane saw two men coming fast,
one Of whom, in the lead, was of stall
wart build. He had a gun in his hand,
and his manner was that of fierce en-
ergy.
The cowboy Sibert thrust open the
jostling circle of men.
"Hold on, jeff" he called, and he
blocked the man with the gun. He
spoke so low Duane could not hear
what he said, and his form hid Aiken's
face. At that juncture the crowd
spread out, closed in, and Aiken and
Siber11 were caught in the circle. There
was a pushing forward, pressing of
many bodies, hoarse cries and flinging
hands-again the insane tumult was
about to break out-the demand for
an outlaws blood, the call for {. wild
justice executed a thousand times be-
fore on Texas bloody soil.
Sibert beloved at the dark en-
him beat and cuffed in vain.
"Jeff, will you listen" broke in ST.
bert, hurriedly, his hands on the other
mans arm.
Aiken nodded cool1y. Duane, who
had seen many men in perfect control
Of themselves under circumstances like
these, recognized the spirit that domi
mated Aiken. He was white, cold,
passionless. There were lines Of bitter
grief deep round his lips. If Duane
ever felt the meaning of death he felt
it then.
"Sure this s your game, Aiken"
said Sibert. "But hea. me a minute.
| L I0ChOA yOU VI UCLICA AOAO OA I'LL yOO
hear what he has to say"
Then for the first time the drawn
faced, hungry-eyed giant turned his
gaze upon Duane. He had intelligence
which was not yet subservient to pas
sion. Moreover, he seemed the kind
of man Duane would care to have
Judge him in q critical moment like
this.
'Listen," said Duane, gravely, with
his eyes steady on Aiken's, "Pm Buck
Duane. I never lied to any man in my
life. I was forced into outlawry. I've
never had a chance to leave the
country. I've killed men to save my
own life. I rode thirty miles to-day
deliberately to see what this reward
was, who made it, what for. When 1
read the placard I went sick to the
bottom Of my soul. So rode in here
to find you-to tell you this: I never
saw Shirley before to-day. It was i'm
possible for me to have-kflled your
wife. Last September I was two
hundred miles north of here on the
upper Nueces. I can prove that. Men
who know me will tell you couldn't
murder a woman. I haven't any idea
why such a deed should be laid at
my hands. It's just that wild border
gossip. And see here, Aiken. You un-
derstand I'm a miserable man. I'm
about broken, I guess. / don't care
any more for life, for anything. Ii
you can't look me in the eyes, man to
1 \ hot c,ou-xUhu nv
| God you can kill mel"
J Aiken heaved a great breath.
"Buck Duane, whether I'm i'm
pressed or not by what you say need
| MT matter. You've had accusers,
justly or unjustly, as will soon appear.
) The thing is we can prove you in
, nocent or guilty. My girl Lucy saw
, my wifes assailant."
He motioned for the crowd Of men
: to open up.
"Somebody-you, Sibert-go for
Lucy. That III settle this thing"
Duane heard as a man in an ugly
dream. The faces around him, the
hum of voices, all seemed far off. His
, life hung by the merest thread. Yet
he did not think Of that so much as
: of the brand of a wOman-murderer
which might be soon sealed upon
him by frightened, imaginative child.
The crowd trooped apart and closed
, again. Duane caught a blurred image
of slight girl clinging to Sibert's
2 hand. He could not see distinctly.
, Aiken lifted the child, whispered sooth-
, ingly to her not to be afraid. Then
he fetched her closer to Duane.
'Lucy, tell me. Did you ever see
this man before?" asked Aiken, huskily
: and low. 'Is he the one-who came
in the house that day-struck you
down-and dragged mama-?"
Aiken's voice failed.
A lightning fash seemed to clear
, Duane's blurred sight. He saw a
pale, sad face and violent eyes fixed