The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1916-09-22
1.-THE LONE STAR RANGER
huy til 7erasP By ZANE GREY

/ was told of him that he shot twice
after bullet had passed through his
heart. Think of the terrible nature
of man, to be able to do that. Il
you have any such blood in you, never
give it chance"
'What you say is all very we'll
uncle" returned Duane, "but the only
way out for me is to run, and won't
do it. Cal Balm and his outfit have
already made me look like coward
"Weil, then, what're you gOin' to
do?" inquired the elder man.
II haven't decided-yet.''
mo, but you're comm to it mighty
fast. That terrible spell is workin' in
you. You're gettin' cool an quiet,
an you think deep, an don't like the
light in your eye. 1t reminds me of
your father"
Il wonder what dad would say to
me today if he were alive and here"
said Duane.
"What do you think? What could
you expect of man who never wore
a glove on his right hand for twenty
years."
swell, he'd hardly have said much.
Dad never talked. But he would have
done a lot. And I guess I'll go down.
town and let Cal Balm find me-"
Then followed a long silence, dur
ing which Duane sat with downcast
eyes, and the uncle appeared lost in
sad thought of the future. Presently
he turned to Duane with an expression
that denoted resignation. and yet
spirit which showed wherein they were
of the same blood.
"You've got q fast horse-the fast
est l know of in this country. After
you meet Balm hurry back home. I'll
have saddlebag packed for you and
the horse ready"
With that he turned on his heel and
went into the house, leaving Duane
to revolve in his mind his singular
speech. That hour of Duane's life was
like years of actual living, and in it
he became thoughtful man.
He went into the house and inspect
ed his belt and gun. The gun was
Colt rs, six-shot, and heavy, with an
ivory handle. He had packed it, on
and off, for five years. Before that it
had been used by his father. There
were 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 stiffened so tightly |
upon 1t in the death-grip that his fin
gers had to be pried open. 1t had |
never been drawn upon any man since |
It had come into Duane's possession.
But the cold, bright polish of the
weapon showed how it had been used.
Duane could draw 1t with inconceiv-
lble rapidity, and at twenty feet he
Gould split card pointing edgewise
,oward him.
Duane wished to avoid meeting his
mother. Fortunately, as he thought,
'he was away from home. He went
tut and down the path toward the
rate. The air was full of the fra
rance of blossoms and the melody of
'irds. Outside in the road neighbor
woman stood talking to a countryman
n wagon; they spoke to him; and
lie heard, but did not reply. Then he
egan to stride down the road toward
he town.
Wellston was small town, but i'm
ortant in that unsettled part of the
reat state because it was the trading
enter of several hundred miles of ter
tory. On the main street there were
erhaps fifty buildings, some brick,
ONE frame, mostly adobe, and one
lird of the lot, and by far the most
rOsperOus, were saloons. Duane's eye ]
lnged down the street, taking in all | [
glance. BY the time he reached
oil Whites place, which was the first
lloon, he was walking slowly. Sew t
-al people spoke to him and turned {
} look back after they had passed. /
e paused at the door of Whites sa- c
on, took sharp survey of the inte- f
or, then stepped inside. T
The saloon was large and cool, full r
men and noise and smoke. The
)ise ceased upon his entrance, and S
e silence ensuing presently broke to C
e clink Of Mexican silver dollars at v
monte table. All eyes except those
the Mexican gamblers were turned
ION Duane. Several of the COWBOYS a
I'd ranchers present exchanged
ances. Duane had been weighed by
lerring Texas instinct, by men who h
packed guns The boy was the d
n of his father. Whereupon thew q
eeted him and returned to their "a
inks and cards. Sol White stood b
tn his big, red hands out upon the t,
r; he was a tall, rawboned Texan. b,
tn long mustache waxed to sharp
ints. Fl
'Howdy, Buck" was his greeting to
lane. He spoke carelessly and avert p,
his dark gaze for an instant. III
'Howdy, SOL" replied Duane, slowly.
dy, Sol. l hear there's q gent in
vn looking for me bad"
Reckon there is, Buck" replied
lite. "He came in heah ABBOTT an !,