Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-08-16

uiSSOlIllIItcl il IlOI. l. III ON UlG parry
SIDE who's defending the ranger ser.
vice. l contend hat it's made Texa:
habitable. Well, it's been up to me t.
produce results. So far i have beer
successful. My great ambition is to
break up the outlaw gangs along tn
river. l have never ventured in there
yet because I've been waiting to ge'
the lieutenant needed. You, of course
are the man l had in mind. It's my
idea to start way up the Rio Grande
and begin with Cheseldine. He's the
strongest, the worst outlaw of the
times. He's more than ~rustler. Its
Cheseldine and his gang who are OPP
bank robbing. That's my private opin-
ion, but it's not beer backed up by
any evidence. Cheseldine doesn't leave
evidences. He's intelligent. cunning.
NO one seems to have seen him-to
know what he looks like. l assume, of
course. that o are a stranger to the
country he dominates. It's 500 miles
west of your ground. There's a little
town over there called %Fairdale. It's
the nest of q rustler gang. They rustic
and murder at will. Nobody knows
who the leader is. l want you to find
out: Well. whatever way you decide
is best you will proceed to act upon.
You are your own boss. You know such
men and how they a be approached.
You Will take all the time needed, if
it's months. 1t will be necessary for
you to communicate with me, and that
will be a difficult matter. For Chesel-
dominates several whole counties.
Know when l and my rangers are
needed. The plan is to break up Ches-
eldlne's gang. It's the toughest job on
the border. Arresting him alone isn't
to be heard of. He couldn't be brought
out. Killing him isn't much better, for
NIX nIn ma, AH~
with, are as dangerous to the
Immunity as he is. We want to
kill or Jail this choice selection
OF robbers and break up the rest
OF the gang. To find them, to
get among them somehow, to learn
their movements, to lay your trap for
us rangers to spring-that. Duane, is
your service to me, and God knows it's
a great me-"
y have accepted it," replied Duane.
Your work will be secret. You are
now a ranger in my service. But no
one except the few l choose to tell will
Know of it until we pull off the Job.
You will simply be Buck Duane till it
suits our purpose to acquaint Texas
with the fact that you're a ranger.
you'll see there's no date on that pa
per. No one will ever know just when
you entered the service. Perhaps we
can make it appea hat all or most of
outlawry has really been good
service to the state. At that, I'll be-
lieve it'll turn out So"
MacNelly paused a moment in his
rapid talk, chewing his cigar. drew his
GROWS together in a ark frown, and
went on. No man on the border knows
SO well as you the deadly nature of
this service. It's a thousand to one that
youll be killed. I'd say there was no
at all for n other man be-
size you. Your reputation will go far
the outlaws. Maybe that and
your nerve and your gunplay will pull
you through. I'm hoping so. But it's a
lohg. long chance against your ever
back"
That's not the point said Duane.
But in case 1 get killed out there
Leave that to me-" interrupted Cap
tain MacNelly. Your folks will know at
once of your pardon and your ranger
duty. If you lose you life out there
render known. You can rest as
sured of that"
am satisfied" replied Duane.
That's so much more than I've dared
to hope"
Well. is settled, then. I'll give you
money for expenses. You'll start as
SOC as you like-the sooner the bet
AAOIO w lAklh VI l SuGE0Se
lions, especially about communicating
with me-"
Long after the lights were out and
The low hum Of voices had ceased round
the camp fire Duane lay wide awake,
staring into the blackness, mar
Yelling e the strange event OF the
day. He was humble, grateful to the
depths Of his soul. A huge and crush
ing burden had been lifted from his
He welcomed his hazardous
service to the man who had saved Kim.
Thought Of his mother and sister and
Jim. of his home, of old friends
came rushing over him the first time in
years that he had happiness in the
The disgrace he had put up
On them would now be removed; and
IN the light Of that, his wasted life of
the past, and its probable tragic end
m future service as atOnement changed
their aspects. And as he lay there,
With h approach of sleep finally dim
ming III vividness of his thought, so
m the around him, haunting
him as he had always been haunted.
1t was broad daylight when he
MacNelly was calling him
TO breakfast. Outside sounded voices
Of men, cracking of fires, snorting and
Lramping of horses. the barking OF dogs.
Duane rolled out of his blankets and
made good use Of the soap and towel
razor and brush lee by on a
bench-things OF are luxury to an OUT
law on the ride. The face he saw in
the mirror was as strange as the past
had tried so hard to recall. Then he
stepped to the door and went out.
The rangers were eating in q circle
aggtarpaulin spread upon the
ground.
Fellows" said MacNelly. :.snake
hands with Buck Duane. He's on secret
ranger service, for me- Service that,ll
keep u about It: A.4s@
The rangers surprised Duane with q
roaring greeting. the warmth Of which