The Oakes times., 1916-12-21

Come in and Have Chair"
the truth. Duane. II won't make any
difference In my plan. Anh when
say crime I mean whit would call
crime. or amy reasonable Texan"
'"rlnt way my hands are clean" re-
piled Dmnnr.
'iou never held up u man. robbed
q store for grub. stole II horse VIXEN
you needed him bnd-ncvcr anything
like thn,:"
Somehow always kept out of that,
| just when pressed the hardest"
''bman". I'm glad" MncNrlly ex-
claimed. gripping Dunnc's hand Glad
for your mothers sake. But. all the
same, in spite "f this. you are Texas
outlaw accountable to the state.
listing circumstances. II you frll into
the hands of p" law. you'd probably
hang. ut least go to jul! for long
term"
"Ihnt's what kept me on the dodge
all these years." replied Duane
"crr,ninly." M"cNcily's eyes mar
rowrd and sittrrcd. The muscles
along his brown checks set hard and
tense. He leaned close To Duane,
laid S.n"wy prrSSin. fingers upon
| Dunmc's knee.
! "!.ist"n ,o this" h" whispered.
hnnrsrly. "If ] place n pardon in your
hand-ni;,k" you II free. honest citizen
f.,,,
make your mother y"nr sister proud
of yo,i-will y"u swear Yourself i" n
service amy srr,ic" demand uf ynu:"
Inl;i," sat stncl; s'i'! stunned
Slowly NOR" rrSlHlsi""ly. with
show OF earnest agitntion Captain
MacNelly reiterated his startling
query.
"nv c"',," burst from Duane.
Wits his? ,!ncNclly. you can't be
In ";,la:.esi -
Never aorc 50 in my life. I've a
de"r game I'm playing it square.
WHAT d" .To'. say?"
H. ruS. Ia his feet. Du"i,r. as I!
inl'"il"tl. "oS" with him. l,ai,a"r and
o,If.;lw the j. ior,cl eyes ii.:i ,;,illo h.,l
each o.h'r'< souis. In S'ncN"lll g
Duane read truth strong. fiery pur.
pose. hope. even g!:' nSs. i',.' 81 fug.
tive mounting assurance of victory.
Twice Duane endenvorcd 10 speak
faiir'! OF Ill save honrSe. inrnhrr"ni
sound. until. forcing back IL flood OF
speech. he found 81 voice.
"Any service? Every service. Mac
Nelly. ! give my word" said nuane
light played over AIacNclly's face
wnrnlin. ont all the grim darkness
He held out his hand. Duane met /,
with his in clasp that men uncOn
sciously give in moments of stress.
When they unclasped and funnt
stepped back to drop into c!,ail
MacNelly fumbled for a cigar and
lishtin. it. turned to his visitor
now calm and cool. He had the lo0l
Of man who had justly won some
thing at considerable cost. His mex
move was to take n long leather cas-
from his pocket and extract from 1
several folded papers.
Here's y",lr pardon from the Cover
nor" he said. quietly. "Youll see
when you look II over. that it's condi
tional. When you sign this paper
have here the condition will be met.
He srnoothed out the paper. hande
; Duane pen. ran his forefnger nlon
q dotted line.
Dunne's hand was shaky. Year
had passed since he had held per
1t was with difficulty that he achieve
his signature. Buckley Duane-ho,
strange the name looked!
Fright here ends the career Of Euc
!. Duane, outlaw and gun-tighter." sal
MacNelly: and. seating himself. h
;, took the pen from Duane's fingers an
wrote several lines in several place
upon the paper. Then with slnil
he handed 1t to Duane.
'"That makes you member Of Con
pany 4. Texas hangers"
$50 that's it," burst out Duane.
light breaking in upon his hewilde
ment. "You want me for ranger ser,
ice?"
= "Surc. That's It," replied Ii
Captain dryly "Now to hear uh:
that service is to be. I've been bus
man since l took this job. and. as "a
may have heard. I've done a fc
:, things. I don't mind telling you tn:
II political influence put me in here an
:, :, that up Austin way there's good de-
:" of friction in the Department of Sta
" in regard to whether or not the rang,
service is any good-whether It shou
;" be discontinued or not. I'm on Il