The Port Gibson reveille., 1916-10-26

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grief deep round his lips. II Duane
ever felt the meaning of death he felt
1t then.
Sure this S your game, Aiken" "
said Sibert. "But hea. me a minute.
reckon you'd better hold on till you
hear what he has to say"
Then for the first time the drawn
faced. hungry-eyed giant turned his
gaze upon Duane. he had intelligence
which was not yet subservient. to pas
sion. Moreover, he seemed the kind
of man Duane would caro- to have
Judge him in a critical moment like
this.
Listen" said Duane. gravely, with
his eyes steady on Aiken's, s1m Buck
Duane. 1 never lied to any man in my
life. was forced into outlawry. I've
never had a chance to leave the
country. I'VE killed men to save my
own life. rode thirty miles to-day
deliberately to see what this reward
was, who made 1t, what for. When /
read the placard / went sick to the
bottom Of my soul. SO rode in here
to find yOu--tO tell you this: / never
saw Shirley before to-day. It was Inn
possible for me to have-killed your
wife. Last September / was two
hundred miles nortL Of here on the
upper Nueces. can prove that. Men
who know me VIII tell you couldn't
murder a woman. haven't any idea
why such a deed should be laid at
my hands. It's Just that wild border
gossip. And see here, Aiken. You un-
derstand I'm a miserable man. I'm
about broken, guess. don't care
any more for life, for anything. II
you can't look me In the eyes, man to
man, and believe what ] say-why, By
God you can kill mel
Aiken heaved a. great breath.
"Buck Duane, whether I'm Inn
pressed or not by what you say need
MT matter. You've had aecusers,
justly or unjustly. as viii soon appear.
The thing is we can prove you In
nOcent or guilty. Ny girl Lucy saw
my wife's assailant."
He motioned for the crowd OF men
to open up.
"Somebody-yOu, Sibert-go for
Lucy. That II settle this thing"
Duane heard as a man In an ugly
dream. The faces around him, the
hum Of voices, all seemed far OF. His
life hung by the merest thread. Yet
he did not think Of that 50 much as
Of the brand of q wOman-murderer
which might be soon sealed upon
him by a frightened, imaginative child.
TIL crowd trOoped apart and closed
again. Duane caught blurred image
Of a slight girl clinging to Sibert's
hand. He could not see distinctly.
Aiken lifted the child, whispered sOoth-
ingly to her not to be afraid. Then
he fetched Fher closer to Duane.
Lucy. tell me. Did you ever see
this man beforeT' asked Aiken, huskily
and low. 'Is he the one-who came
in the house that day-struck you
dowp-and dragged mama-r'
Aiken's voice failed.
A lightning fash seemed to clear
Duane's blurred sight. he saw a
pale. sad face and violent eyes fixed
in gloom and horror upon his. No
horrible moment in Duane's life ever
equaled this one OF sIlence-of sus-
pense.
''It ain't hint" cried the child.
Then SIbert was fllnging the moose
of DuAne's neck and unwindlng the
bonds round his arms. The spellbound
crowd awoke to hoarse EXPLANATIONS.
"See there, my locoed gents, how
easy you'd hang the wrong man."
burst out the cowboy, as he made the
rope-end hiss. "You-an are a lot Of
wise rangers. Hawl hawi"
He freed Duane and thrust the bone
handled gun back in Duane's holster.
''You Abe, there. Reckon you pulled
a STUNT But don't try the like again.
And, men, I'll gamble there's a hell of
a lot Of bad work Buck Duane's named
for-which all he never done. Clear
away there. Where's his hoss2 Duane,
the roads open out Of Shirley"
Sibert swept the gaping watchers
aside and pressed Duane toward the |
horse, which another cowboy held.
Mechanically Duane mounted. felt a /
lift as he went up. Then the cowboys |
hard face sOftened in smile.
II reckon it amt uncivil of me to
say-hit that road quick |" he said, |
He led the horse out Of the crowd.
Aiken Joined him. and between them
they escorted Duane across the plaza.
The crowd appeared irresistIbly drawn
to follow.
Aiken paused with bis big hand on
Duane's knee. In It, unconsciously
he still held the gun.
duane, a word with you" he said.
81 believe you're not so black as you've
been painted. | wish there was time
to say more. Tell me this. anyway.
Do you know the Ranger Captain Mac
NellyY'
II do not" replied Duane. in sur
prise.
II met him only week ago over in
Fairfield" went on Aiken, hurriedly.
.-He declared you never killed my wife.
| didn't believe him-argued with him.
We almost had hard words over 1t.
Now I'm sorry. The last thing. he.
said was: IF you ever see Duane
don't kill him. Send him into my
camp after darkF He meant some
thing strange. What--I can't say.
But he was right, and was wrong.