Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-08-10
CHAPTER xIIl-Ccontinued).

and trees and shining roofs of a town
he considered must be Shirley. And at
the bottom OF the hill he came upon an
| intersecting road. There WAS n placard
nailed on the crossroad sign post.
| Diane drew rein near it and leaned
close to read the faded print. 81, 000
reward for Buck Duane, dead or alive"
| Peerlilg closer to read the finer, more
faded print, Duane learned that he was
! wanted for the murder of Mrs. Jeff Ak
en- at her ranch near Shirley. The
month September was named, but the
date was ~iilegible. The reward was Of
fered by the woman's husband, whose
name appeared with that OF u sheriffs
AT the bottom OF the placard.
Duane read the thing twice. When he
Strengthened he was sick with the nor-
ror OF his fate, wild with passion at
those misguided fools who could believe
that he had harmed IL woman, Then iie
remembered Kate land, and, as always
when she returned to him, be quaked
inwardly. Years before word had zone
abroad that he had killed her, and so
600 "a1v For ron venting to fix a
crime to name him Perhaps it had
urgn done often. Probably he bore on
| his shoulders Il burden of numberless
| crimes.
A dark, passionate fury possessed
him. 1t shook him like a storm shakes
! the oak. When it passed, leaving him
1Olp, with otiNt biON t''t t1'Sii'
eye, his mind was set. Squirting his
horse, he rode straight toward the vii
| Iage.
Shirley appeared to be q large, pre-
| tentious country OWL A branch or
some rainroad terminated there. The
! main street was wide, bordered by trees
and commodious houses, and many of
the stores We're of brick. A large plaza
shaded by giant cottonwood trees oc-
| cupied a central location.
Duane pulled his running horse and
halted him, plunging and snorting. be-
| fore a group of idle men who lounged
| On benches in the shade of q spreading
| cottonwood. How many times had
| Duane seer lust that kind Of lazy shirt
| leeved Texas group! Not often, how
ever, had he seen such placid, lolllng,
~Eood-natNred men change their eX-
preston. their attitude so swiftly. His
| advent apparently was momentous.
| They evidently. took him for an unusual
visitor. So far as Duane could tell, not
one of them recognized him, had a hint
of his Identity.
He slia off his horse and threw the
bride.
I'm Buck Duane" he said. 1T saw
that piacara-out there On a sign post.
It's a damn liei Somebody find this
man Jeff Aiken. 1 want to see him."
His announcement was taken in alb
solut silence. That was the only effect
he noted, for he avoided looking at
these v%illa gers. The reason was simple
enough; Duane felt himself overcome
with emotion. There were tears in his
ewes. He sat down on q bench, put ms
elbows on his knees and his hands TO
his face. For once he had absolutely no
concern for his fate. This ignominy was
the last straw.
Presently, however, he became aware
of some kin of connection among the
villagers. He heard whisperings, ow,
hoarse voices. then the shuttle Of rapid
feet moving away. All ut once a violent
/ hand jerked his gun from Its holster.
When Duane rose a gaunt man. livid
of face. shaking like q leaf. confronted
him with his own gun. =.
"Iands up, thar, o Buck Duane"
! Ire reared. waving the gun.
That appeared to be the cue for pan
Cemonium to break loose. Duane opened
his lips to speak, but if he had yelled
at the top of his lungs he could not have
made himself heard. IN weary disgust
he looked at the gaunt man. and then
at the Others, who We're working them
selves into u frenzy. He made no move,
however, to hold up his hands. The
villagers surrounded him, emboldened
by finding him now unarmed. Then
several men lay hold of his arms and
pinioned them behind his back. Resist
ance was useless even IL Duane had had
the spirit. Some one of them fetched his
halter from his saddle, and with this
they bound him helpless.
People We're running now from the
street, the stores, the houses. Old men,
cowboys. clerks, boys, ranchers came or
the trot. The crowd grew. The increas-
ing clamor began to attract women as
we'll as men. A. group of girls ran up
Their hung back III fright and pity.
The presence of cowboys madea diff
ference. They split UP the crowd. got tc
Duane, and lay hold of him with rough
business-like hands. One of them lifted
his fists and roared at the frenzied moe
to fall back. to stop the racket. He beat
them back into a circle; but it was
some little time before the hubbut
quieted down SO a voice could be heard
shut up. will you-al?" he was
yelling. Give us a han to hear some
thin. Easy now--soho. Their amt no
body gcin' to be hurt. Thet's right;
everybody quiet now. Let's see what's
come Off"
This cowboy. one of authority, or al
least one of strong personality, turned
to the gaunt man who still wavee
Duane's gun.
ABE, put the gun down" he said. III
might go off. Here, give 1T to me. Now
what's wrong? Who's this rop5d gen
an what's he done"
The gaunt fellow, who appeared nov
about to collapse, lifted Il shaking han6
and opinted. !.
"Thet thar feller--he's Buck duane.
he painted.
An angry murnlur ran through tht
surrounding crowd.
'The rops! The rope! Throw it ovel
a branch! String his up!" cried an eS'
cited villager.
"Buck Duane. Buck Duane!"
Hang him"
The cowboy silenced these cries.
ABE, how do you know this fellow
Is Buck Duane" he asked sharply.
..Why--he saio -" replied the MAJ
called Abe.
what" came III exclamation, in
~credulously.
ITS d tarnal fact painted Abe, wav,
ing his hands Importantly. He vas al
old man and appeared to be carried
away with the Significance OF his deed
sHe like to rid his boss over us-al
Then he jumped OFF. says he was Bucl
Duane, an he wanted to see jeff Aikel
"A bad"
This speech caused a second commo
ton as noisy though not so endurin,
as the first. When the cowboy, as
sisted by d coupie.of his mates. had re
stored order again. some one hat
slipped the moose end OF Duane's rop,
aver his head.
.syYn with HIM: 6creeched q will.