The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-06-15

|t ~ go th GO IL j
wasn't fer the ightin' among them
selves they'd shore grow populous. TIL,
kim ROCK is no place for a peaceable
decent Teller. l heard you tell Blan,
you wouldn't join his gang. THEFT
not make him take a likin' to YOU
Have you n money!"
Not much replied Duane.
Gould you live by %gamblin'? Ar,
you any good at cards."
No
You wouldn't steal bosses or rustl.
cattleo"
NC"
When your moneys gone how i
hell will o live? There amt any
work a decent Teller could do. Yor
can't herd with greasers. Why, Bland's
men would shoot at you in the fields
Whatll you do. SOM"
God knows" replied Duane, hope
lessly. I'll make my money last as
long as possible-then starve."
Wal, I'm pretty pore, but you'll
never starve while | got a%nythin'."
Here it struck Duane again-that
something human and kind and eager
which he had seen in Stevens. Duane's
estimate Of outlaws had lacked this
quality. He had not accorded them
any virtues. To him, as to the out
side world. they had been merely Vi
cious men without one redeemins fea-
ture.
I'm much obliged to you, Euchre."
replied Duane. But of course | won't
i've with anyone unless l car pay my
share"
Have it any way you like, NV son"
said Euchre, good humoredly. You
make a fire. an I'll set about gettin'
grub. I'm a sour dough, Buck. Tibet
man doesn't live who can beat my
bread"
How do YOU eve pack supplies in
mere asked Duane, thinking OF the
almost inaccessible nature of the val
ley.
Some comes across from Mexico.
an the rest down the river, Tibet
river trip is a bird. It's more'n 500
miles to any supply noint Bland has
mozos, greaSer boatmen. Sometimes,
100, he gets supplies in from down
or cattle in Cuba. An all this stock
has TO go down by boat to meet the
ships"
Where on earth are the cattle dry
en- down to the river?" asked Duane.
'Thets not my secret" replied Eu-
chre, shortly. Fact is, l don't know.
V rustled cattle for Bland, but he
never sent me through the Rim Rock
with them"
Duane experienced a sort of pleas
ure in the realization that interest had
peen stirred in him.. He was curious
ABOUT Bland and his gang, and glad to
nave something to think about. For
every once in a while he had a sensa-
tlon that was almost like a pang. He
wanted to forget. In the next hour he
did forget, and enjoyed helping in the
preparation n eating of the meal
Euchre, after washing and hanging UP
the several utensils, put on his hat and
turned to go out.
Come along or stay here, as you
want, he Said to Duane.
III stay" rejoined Duane, slowly.
Inc old outlaw left the room and
RUGGED away, whistling cheerfully.
Duane looked around him for a book
or paper, anything to read: but all the
printed matter he could find consisted
OF a rev words on cartridge boxes and
an advertisement on the back of a to-
bacco pouch. There seemed to be moth
ing for him to do. He had rested; he
did not want to lie down n mors,
lie began to walk to and fro, from one
enc of the room to the other. And as
he walked he fell into the lately ac-
CURED habit of brooding over his mis-
fortune.
Suddenly he Strengthened up with a
JERK. Onconsciously he had drawn his
gun, standing there with the bright,
cold weapon in his hand, he looked at
1t IN CONSERVATION. How had he come
TO draw it? With difficulty he traced
ms thoughts backward, but could not
any that was accountable for his
act. He discovered, however, that he
had a remarkable tendency to drop his
hand to his gun. That might have
come from the habit long practice in
drawing had given him. Likewise, it
might have come from a subtle sense,
scarcely thoueht of at all, of the late,
close n inevitable relation between
that weapon and himself. He was
amazed to find that, bitter as he had
grown at fate. the desire to live burned
strong in him. II he had beer as I'M
fortunately situated, but with the diff
ference that no man wanted to put
MN in Jail or take his life, he felt that
TINS burning passion to be free, to save
hlnself, might no nave been so pow
erful. Life certainly held no bright
prospects for him. Already he had be
gun to despair of ever getting back to
his home. But to give up like a white
hearted coward, to let himself be hand
and jailed, to run from a
Dragging cowboy, or be shot
in cold blood by some border brute VINO
merely wanted to add another notch
MS gun-these things were impos-
sipie Tor Duane because there was in
him the temper to fight. In that hour
yielded only to fate and the spirit
UNBORN in him. Hereafter this gun ;
must be a living part of him. Right
then n there he returned to a prac-
tiee he had long discontinued-thc
1t was now a stern, bitter.
deadly business with him. He did not
need to fire the gun, for was
a gift and had become assured. Swift
ness on the draw, however, could be
improved, and he set himself to ac-
luire the limit of speed possible to any
nan. He stood still in his tracks; he
the room; he sat down. lay
down. put himself in awkward posi-
and from every position he prac-
throwing his gun-practiced it |
till he was hot n tired and his arm
and his hand burned. That prac-
tice he determined to keep up every
day. 1t was one thing, at least, that
would help pass the weary hours.
Later he went outdoors to the cooler
OF the cottonwoods. From this
point he could see a good deal of the
Under different circumstances
duane felt that he would have en-
'oyed such a beautiful spot. Euchre,s
snack sat against the first rise Of the
slope of the wall, and Duane by climb
a few rods got a view of the whole
valley. Assuredly it was an outlaw
settlement. He saw a good many Mex
who, of course were hand and