The Ozark spectator., 1916-11-15
butt himself with an his gang light ss Into os1r hands He,a iust tho naan -

| DuSlneSS WIy}sI<iiW WSou WoHt SiScp oA nights now Hesnn' Longstreth have always been after me" M l sIaramie, what are your eyes for" demanded Duane. ssWatcha And now here. See your friend Morton. Tell him this game grows hot. To- gether you approach four or five men l you know well and can absolutely trust. 1 may need your help
 Then Duane went from place to place, corner to corner, bar to bar, watching, listening, recording. The excitement had preceded him, and | speculation was rife. He thought best to Keep out of it.. After dark he stole up to Longstreth's ranch. l The evening was warm; the doors were open; and in the twilight the only lamps that had been lit were in Longstreth's big sitting-room, at the far end of the house. When n buck board drove up and LOngstreth and Lawson alighted, Duane was well hidden in the bushes, so well screened that he could get but feeting | glimpse of Longstreth as he went in. For all Duane could see, he appeared to be calm and quiet man, intense beneath the surface, with an air or dignity under insult Duane's chance to observe Lawson was lost. They went into the house without speaking and closed the door. .t...t esr a At the other end of the porch, close under window, was an offset be- tween step and wall, and there in the shadow Duane hid. So Duane waited there in the darkness with patience born of many hours of hid- ing.
 Presently a lamp was lit: and Duane heard the swish of skirts.
 Something's happened surely, Ruth," he heard Miss Longstrett1 say, anXiously. Papa just met ,Ae in the hall and didn't speak. He .eemed pale, worried" FHf fta r gf.
 Cousin Floyd looked like thunder-cloud," said Ruth. ''For once he didn't try to kiss me. Something's happened"
 ''Oh, dear, Ruth, what car. we dol These are wild men. Floyd makes life miserable for me. And he leases you unmer-'
 T don't call it teasing. Fluyd wants to spoon." declared Ruth emphati- cally. He'd run after any Uoman."i ii'
 "A fine compliment for me, Cousin ! Ruth laughed Ray.
 q don't care" replied Ratb, stnb- bornly "It's so. He's mushy. And when he's been drinking and tries to kiss mel hate him !"
 There were steps on tile hall floor.
 Hello, girls!" sounded out Law sons voice. minus it's usual gayety.i
 "Floyd, what's the matter?" asked Ray presently. q never saw papa as he is tonight, nor you so--so worried. Tell me, what has haprened"
 "We had to submit to damhable outrage" replied Lawson, passionate ly, as if the sound of his voice aug mented his feeling. Listen. girls: I'll tell you about it." He coughed, clear ed his throat in way that betrayed he had been drinking. atif4 EtiI
 Duane sank deeper Into the shadow of his covert. and. stiffening his muscles for protracted spell of rigidity, prepared to listen with all acuteness and intensity. Just one word from this Lawson, inadvertently uttered in moment of passion, might be the word Duane needed for his clue.
 'Tt happened at the town hall,'' be- gan Lawson, rapidly. "Your father and Judge Owens and l were there in consultation with three rancherS from out of town. Then that damned ranger stalked in dragging Sneaker, the fellow who hid here in the house. He had arrested Sneaker for alleged assault on q restaurant-keeper named Laramie. Sneaker being obviously in- nocent, he was discharged. Then this ranger began shouting insults. Law was a farce in Fairdale. The court was a farce. There was no law. Your father was afraid of the rustlers, highwaymen, murderers. He was afraid or-he just let them alone He used his office to cheat ranchers' and cattlemen in lawsuits. All this the ranger yelled for everyone to hear. A damnable outrage. Your father, Ray, insulted in his own court by rowdy ranger"
 "Oh" cried Ray Longstreth, in mingled distress and anger b0iih.l
 ''The. ranger service wants to rule western Texas went on Lawson. These rangers are all a low set. This is one of the worst of the lot. He's to be feared. He would. kill. If ! your father~ha made the least move .l he would have shot him. He's a cold.nervad eyiiAthe born gnnSnan My God, any instant l expected to see yonrs father fall dead at my.feetl" ron, Tvdy The fpnspeakable ruffian!' cried Ray Longstreth. pas sionately.
 MAYhnt do x,oll cara for tho Iaa.