The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1916-12-14

was told Of him that he shot twice
after "A bullet had passed through his
heart. Think OF the terrible nature
of q a to be able TO do that. II
you have any such blood In you, never
give 1t a chance"
"what you say IL nil very well,
uncle" returned Duane, but the only
way out for me Ia to run. and I won't
do II. Cal Balm and his outfit have
already made me look like a coward"
"Well, then, what're you goin' to
dol" inquired the elder man.
81 haven't decided-yet."
mo, but you're comm to II mighty
fast. That terrible spell IL workln' In
you. You're gettin' cool an quiet.
an you think deep. an ! don't like the
light In your eye. II reminds me of
your father"
II wonder what dad would say to
me today II he were alive and here"
said Duane.
"Whut do you think? What could
you expect of a man who never wore
"a glove on his right hand for twenty
yenrsi"
well. he'd hardly have said much.
Dad never talked. But he would have
done II lot. And I guess I'll go down.
town and let Cal Balm find me-"
Then followed n long silence, dur
ing which Duane snt with downcast
eyes, and the uncle appeared lost In
sad thought OF the future. Presently
he turned to Duane with nm expression
that denoted resignation, and yet n
spirit which showed wherein they were
Of the same blood.
"You've got n fast horse-the fast
est I knew Of In this country. After
you meet Balm hurry back home. I'll
have a saddlebag packed for you and
the horse ready"
With that he turned on his heel and
went into the house, leaving Duane
to rcvolve In his mind his singular
speech. That hour Of Duane's life was
like years Of actual living, and In II
he became n thoughtful man.
He went into the house and inspect.
ed his belt and gun. The gun was a
Colt As. six-shot, and heavy, with m
lNols iiullNit. ~ iluu l'i'htu ~, VI
and OFF, for five years. Before that II
had been used by his father. There
we're n number OF notches filed In the
bulge Of the ivory handle. This gun
was the one his father had fired twice
after being shot through the heart
and his hand had stlffened SO tightly
upon 1t in the death.grip that his fin
gers had to be prled open. 1t had
never been drawn upon m maj since
1t had come into Dunne's possession
/ But the cold, bright polish Of the
weapon showed how 1t had been used
Duane could draw II with inconceiv
able rapldity, and at twenty feet h,
: could split a card pointing edgewist
. toward him.
Duane wished to avoid meeting hi,
] mother. Fortunately, as he thought
I she was away from home. He wen
out and down the path toward the
! gate. The air was full of the fra
GRANGE OF blossoms and the melody Of
birds. Outside In the road n neighbol
woman stood talking to n countrymar
In n wagon they spoke to him anC
, he heard, but did not reply. Then h
began to stride down the road TOWARD
the town.
Wcllston was n small town, but lin
portant In that unsettled part OF tn,
great state because II was the trading
center Of several hundred miles OF ter
ritory. On the main street there wer,
perhaps fifty buildings, some brick
some frame. mostly eiobe, and one
third OF the lot, and by far the mos
prosperous, were saloons. Duanc's ey,
ranged down the street, taking In nj
ut u glance. by the time. he reache,
Sol Whites place. which was the frs
saloon, he was walking slowly. Sew
eral people spoke to him and turne,
20 look back after they had passed
He paused at the door Of Whites III
loon, took n sharp surrey Of the int
rlor, then stepped inside.
The saloon vas large and cool, full
Of men and noise and smoke. TIL
noise ceased upon his entrance, an,
the silence ensuing presently broke I
the clink of Mexican silver dollars q
a o table. All eyes except thos
OF the Mexican gamblers were turne,
upon Duane. Several Of the cowboy
and ranchers present exchange
Chances. Duane had been weighed b
unerring Texas instinct. by men VIII
all packed guns. The boy was tn
son of his father. Whereupon the
greeted him and returned to thel
y drinks and cards. Sol White stoo
u with his big, red hands out upon tn
bar; he was a tall, rawboned Texar
= with a long mustache waxed to shar
o points.
"Howdy. Buck" was his greeting I
Q Duane. He spoke carelessly and avert
It ed his dark gaze for an instant.
r. "Howdy, SOL" replied Duane. slowl,
u "Say, Sol, / hear there's q gent 4
town looking for me bad"
d "Reckon there is, Buck" reptile
k White. "He came In heah ABBOTT a
II hour ago. Shore he was some rile
II an a-roarln' for gore. Told me conf