Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-09-27

sSA AN nv SA'SA
g~uardedly got up and crept round to
the other side of the cabin. After he
became used to the dark again he ven-
tured to steal along the wall to the
window and peeped in. The outlaws
We're in the first room and could not
be seen.
Duane waited. The moments dragged
endlessly. His heart pounded. Long,
streth entered, turned up the light, and,
taking n box of cigars from the table,
he carried it out.
Here. you fellows. go outside and
smoke" he said. "Knell, come on in
now. Let's get it over"
He returned, sat down., and lighted
a cigar for himself. He put his booted
feet or the table.
Duane saw that the room was COM
fortably. even l~uXuriously furnished.
There must have been a good trail, he
thought. else how could all that stuff
have been packed in there. Most as
the trail he had Travelled. Presently he
heard the men go outside and their
voices became ind%istinct. Then Knell
came in and seated himself without
any of his chiefs ease. He seemed pre-
occupied and. as always, cold.
whats wrong. Knell? Why didn't
you get here sooner??" queried Long
streth.
"Poggin, damn him! We're on the
outs again."
What for?"
"Aw, he needn't have got sore. He's
breakin' q new boss over there at Far
away, an you know him where a hoss's
concerned. That kept him, 1 reckon,
more thar anythin'."
What else? Get it out of yo,,r svs.
tenn so we can go on to the new job.,'
Well. it begins back a ways. don't
Know how long ago-weeks-a stran-
ger rode into Ord an got down easy
IKE as ii he owned the place. He seemed
\ ia 1n1I1QC tn mo TQ11t I Nc ~, wv
looked him over, an l left, tryin' to
place him in my mind.'
"What'd he look like?"
'Rangy. powerful man, white hair
over his temples, still, hard face, eyes
like knives. The way he packed his
guns. the way he walked an stood an
swung his right hand showed me what
ne was. You can't fool me on the gun
sharp. An he had a grand horse, a big
black"
Mo- exclaimed knell. 1t was Won
derful to hear surprise expressed by
this man that did not in the least show
1t in his strange physiognomy. Knell
ghe a short, grim, hollow laugh.
BOSS. this here big gent drifts into
er. Jim, you know. is Easy led. He
likes men. An, when a posse come
along trailin' a blind lead, huntin' the
wrong way for the man who held up
no. ., why Jim-he up an takes this
stranger to be the fly road agent an
cottons to him.. Got money out of
him sure. An that's what stumps me
more. What's this mans game? hap
pen to know, boss. hat he couldn't have
held up No. g."
How do you know?" demanded
Longstreth.
Because 1 did the job myself"
A dark and stormy passion clouded
the chiefs face.
Damn you, Knell! You're incorrig-
ible. You're unreliable. Another break
like that queers you with me. Did YOU
tell Foggin?"
Yes. That's one reason we fell out.
He raved. 1 thought he was goin' to
kill me-"
without help or plano"
1T offered. that's all. A n it was easy.
But it was a mistake. 1 go the country
an the railroad hollerin' for nothin'.
! just couldn't help it. o know what
idleness means to one of us. You know
also that this very life breeds fatality.
It's wrong-that's why. 1 was born of
good parents, al 1 know what's right.
We're wrong, an we can't beat the end,
that's all. An, for my part, 1 don't
care a damn when that comes"
Fine, wise talk from you, Knell,"
said Longstreth. scornfully. Go on
with your story"
AZ 1 said. Jim cottons to the pre-
tender. an they get chummy. They're
together all the time. You can gamble
Jim told all he knew an then some. A
little liquor loosens his tongue. Several
of the boys rode over from Ord, an one
of them went to Poggin an says Jim
Fletcher has a new man for the gang.
Poggin, O know, is always ready for
any new a He va if one doesn't
turn out good, he can be shut Off easy.
He rather liked the way this new pard
OF Jlm's was boosted. Jim an Poggin
always hit it up together. So, until I
got on the deal, Jim's pard vas already
in the gang, without Poggin or you
ever SEEM him. Then 1 got to figurin'
hard. lust where had l ever seen that
chap? AS 1t turned out, l never had
seen him. which accounts for my bein'
doubtful. I'd never forget any man I'd
seen: l dug up a lot of old papers from
my kit an went over them. Letters,
pictures. clippin's, an all that. 1 guess
lookin' for an who I wanted to make
sure Of. At last I found it. An knew
my man. But I didn't spring it on
Poggin. Oh, no! l want to nave some
fun with him when the time comes.
He'll be wilder than a trapped wolf. 1
sent Blossom over to Ord to get word
from jim. an, when he verified all this
talk. l sent Blossom again with a mes
sage calculated to make Jim hump.
Poggin got sore. said he'd wait for Jim,
an, l could come over to see you about
the new job. He'd meet me in Ord"
knell had spoken hurriedly and low,
now and then with passion. His pale
eyes glinted like fire in ice, and now
his voice fell to q whisper.
Who do you think .Fletcher's new
man is?"
"Who?" demanded Longstreth.
Buck Duane!"
Down came Longstreth's boots with a
crash, then his body grew rigid.