Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-10-11

put inside behind the counters. whe:e
spring the thing on the bank officials.
n don't let them shut up the bank.
You want their aid. Let them make
sure of their gold. Blu the clerks and
cashier ought to be at their desks OF
window when Poggin rides up. He'll
glance in before he gets down. They
make no mistakes, these fellows. You
must be slicker thar they are. or lose.
When you get the bank people wise.
send your men over one by n No
hurry. no excitement. no unusual thing
to attract notice in the bank"
IAN right. That's great. Tell me.
where do you intend to waltz"
Duane heard MacNelly's question and
1t struck him peculiarly. He had seemed
TO be planning and speaking mechan-
icaily. AS he was confronted by the
fact it nonplussed him somewhat. and
he became thoughtful, with lowered
head.
"Where'll you watt" insisted Mac
Nelly, with keen eyes specializing.
III wait in front-just inside the
door, replied Duane, with an effort.
WHY? demanded the captain.
WELL began Duane, slowly. "Pog-
GIN viii get down first and start in.
But the others won't be far behind.
They'll not get swift till inside. The
thlng ls-they mustn't get clear inside.
because the instant they do they'll pull
guns. That means death to somebody.
1t we can. we want to stop them just
at the door,"
But will you hide?" asked MacNelly.
"Hlde!" The idea had not occurred
to Duane.
There's a wide open doorway. a sort
of round hall, a vestibule, with steps
leading up to the bank. There's a door
IN the vestlbule. too. 1t leads some-
where. We can put men in there. You
can be there"
Duane was silent.
See here, Duane" began MacNeiiy
nerVously; you sha'n't a any undue
risk here. Youth hide with the rest OF
us?"
moi" The word was wrenched from
Duane.
MacNeliy stared, and then a strange,
compromising light seemed to fit
over his face.
Duane, 1 can give you no or
Il am only offering advice. Need
you take any more risks? You've done
a grand job for the enthusiastically.
You've paid me 1000 times for that
pardon. You've redeemed yourself. The
governor, the adjutant general-the
whole state will rise up and honor you.
Inc games almost up. Well kill these
outlaws, Or enough Of them to break
forever their power. l say. as a ranger.
! U00O you TAX more risk than VOllS> can
tain?"
Still Duane remained silent. He was
ocked between two forces. And one.
a tide that was bursting at its bounds,
GENE about to overwhelm him. FIJI
nally that side of him. the r~etreating
sell. the weaker. found q voice.
Captain. you want this job to be
sure?" he asked.
Certainly"
I've told You h way. L alone know
h kind of men to be met. Just what
III do or where I'll be I can't say yet.
In meetings like this the moment de-
cides. But I'll be there!"
MacNelly spread wide his hands,
locke helplessly at his curious and
sympatheic rangers, and shook his
Now that you've done your work,
laid the trap-is this strange move of
yours going to be fair to Miss Long
low voice.
Like a great tree chopped at the roots
Duane vibrated to that. He looked up
as If he a seen a ghost.
Mercilessly the ranger captain went
on: You can win her, Duane! Oh.
you can't fool me: I was wise in q
minute. Fight with us from cover
served the Texas rangers as no other
man has. I'll accept your resignation.
You'll be free, honored, happy. That
girl loves you! I saw it in her eyes.
She's
But Duane cut him short with a
fierce gesture. He lunged up to his
feet. and the rangers fell back. Dark.
silent. grim as he had been, still there
was a transformation singularly more
sinister. stranger.
Enough. I'm DONE" he said. SOM
perry. I've planned. Do We agree
or snail i meet Poggin and his gang
alone?"
MacNelly cursed and again threw up
ms hands. this time in baffled chagrin.
There was deep regret in his dark eyes
as they rested upon Duane.
Duane was left alone.
e a his mind been so quick.
SO clear, SO wonderful in it's under
standing of what had heretofore been
intricate and elusive impulses of his
strange nature. His determination was
to meet Poggin; meet him before any
one else had a chance-Poggin first
n then the others! He was as I'M
alterable In that decision as IL on the
instant OF its acceptance he had be-
como stone.
Why? Then came realization. He
was not q ranger now. He cared moth
ing Tor the state. He had no thought
OF freeing the community Of q danger
GUS outlaw. Of Kidding the country Of
al VOseaCle 70 It's progress and pros
perity. He wanted to kill Poggin. It
was significant now that he forgot the
other outlaws. He was the gunmaa
the u thrower. the gun fighter, pas
stonate and terrible. His fathers blood.
that dark and fierce strain: his moth
er's spirit. that strong and unquench-
able spirit of the surviving pioneer
these had been in him; and the killings,
one after another, the wild and haunt
ed years. had made him. absolutely in
spite Of his will. the gunman. He re-
allied 1t now, bitterly. hOpelessly. The