Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-11-22
horses 70 Grass"

pass off quickly. When 1t had worn
away he took Off his coat and belt and
made himself comfortable on the BLAIR
| kets. And he had a thought that, IL
he rested or slept, what difference
would IL make on the morrow? No
rest, no sleep could change the gray
! outlook of the future. He felt glad
| when Euchre came bustling in, and for
he first time he took notice of the out
| law.
Euchre was old in years. What
little hair he had was gray, his face
clean shaven and full Of wrinkles; his
eyes were half shut from long gazing
through the sun and dust. He stopped.
But his thin face denoted strength
and endurance still unimpairea.
'Hev drink or q smoker he asked.
Duane shook his head. He had not
been unfamiliar with whisky, and he
had used tobacco moderately since he
was sixteen But now, strangely, he
felt disgust at the idea Of stimulants.
He did not understand clearly what he
| felt There was that vague idea OF
something wild in his blood, something
that made him fear himself.
Euchre wagged his old head sympa-
/ thetically. ''Reckon you feel little
sick. When it comes to shootin', ! run.
| What's your age?"
"I'm twenty-three," replied Duane.
Euchre showed surprise. You're
only a boy. 1 thought you thirty any
ways Buck, ! heard what you told
Bland, an putin tibet with my own
| figgerin', reckon you're no criminal
yet. THROWN gun in self-defense--
| tibet amt no crime!"
Duane, finding relief in talking, told
more about himself
"Huh,' replied the old man. "Tve
seen hundreds of boys come in on the
dodge. Most of them, though. was no
good. An tibet kind don't last long.
This river country has been an is the
refuge fer criminals from all over the
| states. I've bunked with hank cash
| iers, forgers, plain thieves, an out
an'-out murderers, all of which had no
bizness on the Texas border. Fellers
like Bland are exceptions. He's no
I Texan-you seen tibet. The gang he
rules here come from all over, an
I they're tough cusses, you can bet on
tibet. They live fat an easy. If it
wasn't fer the fightin' among them
selves, they'd shore grow populous.
The Rim Rock Is no place for a peace
able, decent Teller. heard you tell
! Bland you wouldn't like to join his
gang. Thet'll not make him take a
likin' to you. Have you any money!
'Not much" replied Duane.
"WhenNthe moneys gone how will
| you live? There amt any work a de-
cent Teller could do. You can't herd
with greasers. Why, BANDS men
would shoot at you in the fields.
WhatIl you do, soni'
'God knows" replied Duane, hope
| lessly. "rll make my money last as
long as possible-then starve.'
'sWal, I'm pretty pore, but you'll
never starve while l got anythin'."
Here it struck Buck 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 rot accorded thcm
any virtues. To him. as to the out
| side world, they had been merely
| vicious men without one redeeming
! feature.
"Tm much obliged to you, Euchre,"
r.
live with anyone unless I can pay my
| share"
"Havei 1t any way you like. my son"
said Euchre, good-humoredly. you
make a fire. an I'll set about gettin'
| grub, I'm sour-dough. Buck. Thet
man doesn't live who can beat my
bread"
"How do you ever pack supplies
in here?" asked Duane, thinking of the
almost inaccessible nature of The val.
ley.
"Some comes across from Mexico,
an the rest down the river. That
river trip is a bird. It's more'n five
hundred miles TO any supply point.
Bland has mozos, greaser boatmen.
Sometimes, too, he gets supplies in
from down-Fiver. You see, Bland sells
thousands of cattle in Cuba. An all
this stock has to so down by boat to
meet the ships
where on earth are the cattle
driven down to the. river?' asked
Duane.
'Thet's not my secret" replied Eu-
chre shortly Fact is, don't know.
I've rnstled cattle for Bland, but he
never sent me through the Rim Rock
with them.
Duane experienced sort of pleas
ure in the realization that interest had
been stirred in him. He was curious
about Bland and his gang, and glad to
have something to think about. For
every once in while he had sensa-
ton that was almost like a pang. He
wanted to forget. In the next hour he
did forget, and enjoyed helping in the
| preparation and eating of the meal.
Euchre, after washing and hanging up
the several utensils. put on his hat and
turned to 60 out.
"Come along or stay here, as you
want" he said to Duane.
"Tll stay" rejoined Duane slowly.
The old outlaw left the room and
trudged away, whistling cheerfully.
cHAPTERV
+ f. 4 r t e. tl ( (
Duane looked around him for a book