Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-06-07

asked Duane.
Money" exclaimed Luke, blankly.
Say, l haven't owned a two-bit piece
since-wal, fer some time"
IN furnish money for grub re-
turned Duane. And for whisky, too,
providing you hurry back herewith
ou making trouble"
Shore you're downright good, pard,"
declared Stevens, in admiration, as he
took the money. II give you my word,
Buck, an I'm here to say i never broke
it yet. Lay low, an Loo fer me back
quick"
With that he spurred his horse and
rode out of the meSquiteS toward the
town. AT that distance. about a quar-
ter OF a mile, Mercer appeared to be a
cluster of low adobe houses set in a
grove of cottonwoods. Pastures of all
falfa We're dotted by horses and cattle.
Duane saw a sheep herder driving in a
meager lock.
Presently Stevens rode out of sight
n the town. Duane waited, hoping
the outlaw would make good his word.
probably not a quarter of an hour had
elapsed when Duane heard the clear re-
ports of Il Winchester rifle, the clatter
OF rapid hoof beats, and yells unmis-
takably the kind to mean danger Tor a
man like Stevens. duane mounted and
rode to the edge of the mosquitoes.
He saw a cloud of dust down the o
and a bay horse running fast. Stevens
~ " OCcII WOuilQCd W.
any of the shots. for he had a steady
seat in his saddle and his riding even
at that moment, struck Duane as adj
mlrable. He carried a large pack over
the pommel, and he kept looking back.
The shots had ceased, but the yells in
creased. Duane saw several men run
ming n waving their arms. Then he
spurred his horse and got into a swift
stride, so Stevens would not pass him.
Presently the outlaw caught up With
him. Stevens was grinning, but there
was now no fun in the dancing eyes.
1t was a devil that danced in them. His
face seemed a shade paler.
Was jest comm out of the store
yelled Stevens. Run plumb into a
rancher-who showed me. He opened
up with a rifle. Think they'll chase
They covered several miles before
there were any signs of pursuit. and
when horsemen did now into sight
out OF the cottonWOOdS Duane INC his
companion steadily drew farther away.
N bosses in tibet bunch to worry
US" called out Stevens.
Duane had the same conviction, and
he did not look back again. He rode
somewhat to the fore, and was con-
stantly aware of the rapid thudding of
hoofs behind as Stevens kept close to
him.. AT sunset they cached the will
low brakes and the river. Duane's
. "oS WAlloCo III VI MlCl
sweat n lather. 1t was not until
the crossing had been accomplished
that Duane halted to rest his animal.
Stevens was riding up the low, sandy
bank. He reeled in the saddle. With
an exclamation of surprise Duane
Stevens was pale n his face bore
beads Of sweat. The whole front of
his shirt vas soaked with blood.
You're shot" cried Duane.
Wal, whom hell said 1 wasn't?
Would you mind givin' me a lift-on
this here pack?'
Duane lifted the heavy pack down
and then helped Stevens to dismount.
The outlaw had a bloody foam on his
lips and he was splitting blood.
oh, why didn't you say so!" cried
Duane. II v thought. You seemed
all right"
"Wal, Luke Stevens may be as CAB
by as an old woman, but sometimes
he doesn't say anythin'. 1t wouldn't
have done no good"
Duane babe him sit down, removed
his shirt, n washed the blood from
shot in the breast, fairly low down,
and the bullet a gone clear through
him. His ride, holding himself and
that heavy pack in the saddle, had
been a feat little short of marvellous.
Duane did not see how it had been
AlL0 lS LEU IN IODo 1OT InG
outlaw. But he plugged the Wounds
and bound them tightly.
"Feller's name was Brown" Stevens
said. Me an him fell out over a hoss
l stole from him over in Huntsville.
We had a shootin' scrape then. Wal,
as | was s%traddlin' my boss back there
in Mercer l seen this Brown, am seen
him before he seen me. Could have
killed him, too. But l wasn't breakin'
my word to you. 1 kind of hoped he
wouldn't spot me. But he did-an'
fust shot he got me here. What do you
think of this hole?"
It's pretty bad" replied Duane; and
he could not look the cheerful outlaw
in the eyes.
II reckon it is. Wal, I've had some
bad wounds l lived over. Guess mebbe
1 can stand this one. Now, Buck, get
me some place in the brakes, leave me
some grub an water at my hand, an
then you clear out"
Leave you here alone?" asked Du-
ane. sharply.
Shore. You see, I can't keep up
with you. Brown an his friends will
You've got to think Of number one in
this game"
What would you do in my case?"
asked Duane. curiously.
wal. I reckon I'd clear out al save
my hide" replied Stevens.
Duane felt incliped to doubt the OUT
laws assertion. For his own part he
decided his conduct without further
speech. First he watered the horses,
filled canteens and water bag, and then
tied the pack upon his own horse.
That done. he lifted Stevens upon his
horse. and. holding him in the saddle,
turned into the brakes, being careful
to pick out hard or grassy ground that
left little signs of tracks. lust about
dark he ran across a trail that Stevens
said was a good n to take into the
wild country.
MRool.o,, xn,osd hokkon l.e.. .s-iA