The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1916-11-09

the force of a juggernaut. Was Long
streth sincere? What was his game?
Lawson, finding his voice, cursed
Ray, cursed the ranger, then Long
Streth.
"You damned selfish fool!" cried
Longstreth in bitter scorn. "All you
think Of is yourself-your loss of the
| girl. Think once of me-my home
my life"
Then the connection subtly put out
by Longstreth apparently dawned up
on the other. Somehow through this
| girl her father and cousin were to be
betrayed. Duane got that impression,
| though he could not tell how true it
was. Certainly Lawson'S jealousy was
| his paramount emotion.
"To hell with you!" burst out Law
son, incoherently. He was frenzied.
"I'll have her, or nobody else Will"
you never WILL" returned Long
streth, stridently. $50 help me God
I'd rather see her the rangers wife
than yours !"
| While Lawson absorbed that shock
Longstreth leaned toward him, all or
hate and menace in his mien.
Lawson, you made me what 1 am"
continued Longstreth. 81 backed you
shielded you. You're Cheseldine-if
the truth is told! Now it's ended.
quit you. I'm done!"
Their gray passion-corded faces
were still as stones.
| 0GoptJopoon Duapo co11Qd in far
reaching voice as he stepped out.
you're both done!"
They wheeled to confront Duane.
"Don't move! Not muscle! Not
finger!" he warned.
Longstreth read what Lawson had
not the mind to read. His face turned
from gray to ashen.
"What dye mean?" yelled Lawson,
| fiercely, shrilly. 1t was not in him to
obey a command, to see impending
death.
All quivering and strung, yet with
perfect control, Duane raised his left
hand to turn back lapel of his open
vest. The silver star flashed brightly
| Lawson howled like a dog. With
| barbarous and insane fury, with sheer
impotent folly, he swept a clawing
hand for his gun. Duane's shot broke
his action.
| Before Lawson even tottered, before
he loosed the gun, Longstreth leaped
behind him, clasped him with left arm,
quick as lightning jerked the gun
from both clutching fingers and sheath.
Longstreth protected himself with the
| body of the dead man. Duane saw
red flashes, puffs Of smoke; he heard
quick reports. Something stung his
left arm. Then blow like wind, light
of sound yet shocking in impact,
struck him, staggered him. The hot
rend of lead followed the blow.
Duane's heart seemed to explode, yet
his mind kept extraordinarily clear
and rapid.
Duane heard Longstreth work the
| action of Lawson's gun. He heard the
hammer click, fall upon empty shell.
Longstreth had used up all the loads
| in Lawson's gun. He cursed as man
cursed at defeat. Duane waited, cool
|
the dead man, to edge him closer to-
| ward the table where his own gun
lay. But, considering the peril of ex-
posing himself, he found the task be-
yond him. He bent peering at Duane
under Lawson's arm, which Topped
out from his side. Longstreth's eyes
| were the eyes of a man who meant
| to kill. There was never any mistak-
| ing the strange and terrible light of
eyes like those. More than once
Duane had a chance to aim at them,
at the top of Longstreth's head, at
strip of his side.
Longstreth flung Lawson's body off.
But even as it dropped, before Long
streth could leap, as he surely in
tended, for the gun, Duane covered
him, called piercingly to him:
Don't jump for the gun! Don't!
I'll kill you! Sure as God I'll kill
you"
Longstreth stood perhaps ten feet
from the table where his gun lay.
Duane saw him calculating chances.
He was game. He had the courage
that forced Duane to respect him.
Duane just saw him measure the dis
lance to that gun. Duane would have
to kill him.
"'Longstreth, listen," cried Duane,
swiftly. 'The games up. You're
done. But think of your daughter
I'll spare your life-I'll try to get
sou freedom on one condition. For
her sake! I've got you nailed-all the
proofs. There lies Lawson. You're
alone. I've Morton and men to my aid.
Give up. Surrender. Consent to de-
mands, and Til spare you. Maybe 1
can persuade MacNelly to let you go
free back to your old country. It's
for Rays sake! Her life, perhaps her
happiness, can be saved! Hurry,
! man! Your answer"
Suppose refuse?' he queried, with
a dark and terrible earnestness.
"Then I'll kill you in your tracks
You can't move a hand! Your word
or death! Hurry, Longstreth! Be
man! For her sake! Quick! An
other second now-Tll kill your
"All right, Buck Duane, give my
word" he said. and deliberately walk
ed to the chair and fell into it.
Longstreth looked strangely at the
bloody blot on Duane's shoulder.
"There come the girls!" he sudden
" exclaimed. "Can you help me
drag Lawson inside? They mustn't see
him."