Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-08-31
"RuStlerS2 %

"Rustlers?"
But he did not follow up that look
with the affirmative Dus1e expected.
Lively place, l hear Fairdale is?"
Amt SO lively as Sanderson, but
it's bigger"
Yes, heard it was. Fellow down
there was talking about two cowboys
who were arrested"
Sure. heered all about that. Joe
Bean an Brick Higgins-they belong
heah, but they amt heah much, Long
streth's boys"
Duane did not want to appear over
inquisitive, so he turned the talk into
other channels.
After getting supper Duane strolled
up and down the main street. When
darkness set in he went into a hotel,
bought cigars, sat around n watched.
Then he passed out and went into the
next place. This was of rough crude
exterior. but the inside was oompara-
lively pretentious and ablaZe with
lights. 1t was full Of men coming and
going-a dusty booted crowd that
smeiled of horses and smoke. Duane
sat down for a while, with wide eyes
and open ears. Then he hunted up the
Lar, where most of the guests had been
or Were going. He found a great square
room lighted by six huge lamps, a bar
at one side, and all the floor space
taken up by tables and chairs. This
NoS LILY OiiIS g. SatlittpIitlS pil1S VI uIly
size in southern Texas in which he had
noted the absence of MeXicans. There
was some card playing going on at this
moment. Duane stayed in there for a
while. and knew that strangers were
too common in fairdale to be conspic-
uouS. Then he returned to the inn
where he mad engaged a room.
Duane sat down on the steps of the
dingy little estaurant Two men were
conversing inside, and they had not
noticed Duane.
Laramie, what's the strangers
name?" asked one.
HE didn't say" replied the other.
Sure was a s%trappin' big man.
Struck me a little odd, he did. No cat
tleman, him. How'd you size him?"
We'll, like N of them cool, easy.
quiet Texans who's been lookin' for a
man for years-to kill him when he
found him"
Right you are, Laramie; and, be-
tween you an me. 1 hope he's lookin'
for Long"
"s-sh!" interrupted Laramie. You
must be half drunk. to go talkin' that
way"
Thereafter they conversed in too low
a tone for Duane to hear, and presently
Laramie's visitor left. Duane went in
SIDE and, making himself agreeable, be-
gan to ask casual questions about Fair
dale. Laramie was not communicative.
Duane went to his room in a thought
full frame Of mind. Had Laramie's WIS.,
itor meant he hoped some one had
come to kill Longstreth? Duane in
ferred just that from the interrupted
remark. ASpere was something wrong
about the mayor of Fairdale. Duane
felt 1t. And he felt also, if there was
a crooked and dangerous man, it was
Laramie would be worth c%ultivating.
And last in Duane's thoughts that
night was Miss Longstreth. He could
not help thinking Of her-how strangely
the meeting with her had affected him.
1t made him remember that long past
time when girls had been a part of his
life. What a sad and dark and endless
void lay between that past and the
present! He had no right even to
dream of a beautiful woman like Ray
L~ongstreth. That conviction, however,
did not dispel her; indeed, it seemed
perversely to make her grow more fas-
chatting. Duane grew conscious of q
strange, unaccountable hunger, a some
thing that was like a pang in his breast.
Next day he lounged about the inn.
He did not make any overtures to the
taciturn proprietor. Duane had no need
of hurry now. He contented himself
with watching and listening. And at
the close of day he decided Fairdale
was what MacNelly had claimed it to
be, and that he was on the track of an
unusual adventure. The following day
he spent in much the same way, though
on one occasion he told Laramie he
was looking for a man. The innkeeper
grew a little less furtive and reticent
after that. He would answer casual
queries, and it did not take Duane long
to learn tina Laramie had seen better
days-that he was now broken, bitter
II hard. Some one had wronged him.
Several days passed. Duane did not
| c,lrronl i, raiii,cr y, Y, cIncc, 4 - T % 40,
mic, but he found the idlers on the cor
ners and in front of the stores unsus-
picious n willing to talk. 1t did not
take him long to find out that Fair
dale stood parallel with Huntsville for
! gambling, drinking and fighting. The
saddled horses, the town full of stran-
gers. Money appeared more abundant
than in my place Duane had ever Wis
tied; and 1t was spent with the aban-
don that spoke forcibly of easy and
crooked requirement. Duane decided
that Sanderson, Bradford and Ord were
but notorious outposts to this Fairdale,
which was a secret center of r~ustlers
and outlaws. And what struck Duane
s%trangest of all was the fact that Long
streth was mayor here and held court
daily. Duane knew i%ntuitively, before
a chance remark gave him proof, that
his court was a sham, a farce. And
he wondered If 1t We're not a blind. This
wonder Of his was equivalent. to sus-
picion Of Colonel Longstreth, and Du-
dne reproached himself, Then he re-
allied that the reproach was because
of the daughter. Inquiry had brought
him the fact that Ray Longstreth had
just come to live with her father. Long
streth had originally been a planter in
Louisiana, where his family had re-
manned after his advent In the west.
lie was a rich rancher; he owned half
of Fairdale; he was a cattle buyer on
Il large scale. Floyd Lawson was his
lieutenant and associate in deals.
On the afternoon of the fifth day Of
Duane's stay in Fairdale he returned
to the inn from his usual stroll, and
upon entering was amazed co nave a
rough looking young fellow rush by
him out Of the door. Inside, Laramie
was lying on the floor, with a bloody
bruise on his face. He did not appear
to be dangerously hurt.
"Bo Snecker! He hit me and went
after the cash drawer said Laramie,
laboring to his feet.
Are you hurt much?" queried Du-
ane.
Z guess not. But 30 needn't to have
soaked me. I've been robbed before
without that"
..yMall TIL talyo q looL /, Pto. D., ,o