The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-07-06

MS mouth shut
'.Ho 10, hoi" rolled ont Rlsnd's
laugh.
Then he led the way 10 the porch his
spurs climbing. the weapons he was
carrying rafting, and he Topped down
on q bench.
How are you, boss - asked Euchre.
Hello. old man. I'm we'll, but all in. :"
Al!oway slowly walked on to the
porcn and leaned against the rail- He
answered Euchre's greeting with a nod
Mrs BANDS full voice in eager ques-
uoning had a tendency to ease the
situation Bland replied briefly TO her.
reporting remarkably successful trip.
Duane thought it time to show him
sen. he had feeling that Bland and
-Alioway would let him 60 for thesxno-
nent they We're plainly nenpllsssd
ana Aloway seemed suilen, brooSing.
Jennie, whispered Duane. that was
clever OF Mrs. Bland Wen keep lr1
the deception. Amy day now be ready.r
she pressed close TO him. and a bare
~ audible Hurry" came breathing
into his ear
Good night. Jennie" he said aloud.
ROPE you feel better tomorrow.
Ihen he stepped out into the moon
sslght ana spoke. Bland returned the
'sr eetlns. and. though he was not ami
able. he did not show resentment
Met Jasper as rode in" said Bland,
presently. He told me you made Bill
Slack mad, and there's liable to be a.
Isht- nat did you go off the handle
Duane explined the incident. I'm
sorry happened to be there he went
on. 1t wasn't my business"
Scuryy trick thatd been" muttered
BIand. You did right All the sal
Duane. ! want YOU to stop ouarrelins .
with my men. ryou were enc of US
shat'd be different. can't keep my
men from nghting. But Tn not called
on TO let an outsider hang around nv
camp and plug my rustlers."
guess III have to be hitting the
trail for somewhere" said Duane
ny not join my band2 You've got
a pad start, already, Duane, and IL I
know this border you'll never be a re-
spectacle citizen again You're a. horn
killer, I know every bad man on ti,s
frontier. More than one of them hava
tod me that something exploded In
their brain. and when sense came back
there lay another dead man, It's not
SO with me. I've done a little shooting
too. but never wanted to kin another
man just to rid myself of the last one.
NY dead men don't sit on my chest at
night That's the gun fighters trouble.
hes crazy. He has to kill a new man
hes driven to 1t to forget the last
But I'm no gun fighter" protested
No doubt" interrupted Bland with
laugh. circumstances made me a
rustler. You don't know yourself
Ioure young; you've got temper:
your rather was one Of the most dan
gerous men Texas ever had 1 don't
see any other career for you. Instea a
OF going 1t alone-a lone wolf. as the
Iexans say-why not make friends
with other outlaws? You'll live longer. !"
Euchre squirmed in his seat
BOSS, I've been givin' the boy egg
zac.ly thet same line OF talk Thet's
why | took him in to bunk with me.
II he makes pards among us there
won't be any more trouble. An, he'd
De grand Teller fer the gang. I'VE
seen Wild Bill Hickok throw a gun, an
Billy the Kid, an Hardin. an Chess
here-an the fastest men on the bor-
ger. An with apologies to present
company, I'm here to say Duane has
them all skinned. His draw is differ
ent You can't see how he does it,"
Euchre's admiring praise served to
create an effective little silence. AL
loway shifted uneasily on his feet, his
spurs 1angling family, and did not lift
his head. Bland seemed thoughtfuI
That's about the only qualification
have to make me eligible for your
band" said Duane, easily.
It's good enough" replied Bland.
shortly. will you consider the idea ,"
I'll think 1t over Good night"
He left the group, followed by Eu-
chre When they reached the end OF
the lane, and before they had ex-
changed word, Bland called Euchre
pack. Duane proceeded slowly along
the moonlit road to the cabin and sat
down under the cottonwoods to wait
Tor Euchre. The night was intense and
quiet, low hum OF insects giving the
effect of a congestion of life The
beauty of the soaring moon, the ebony
canons of shadow under the mountain,
the melancholy serenity Of the perfect
night made Duane shndder in the re-
alization Of how far aloof he now was
from enjoyment of these things. Never
again SO long as he lived could he bio
natural. His mind was clouded. His
| eye and ear henceforth must register
Impressions Of nature, but the low OF
| them had fled.
Still, as he sat there with a forebod-
| ing OF more and darker work ahead of
him, there was yet a strange sweet
| ness left to him, and il lay ii thougl,t
OF Jennie. The pressure of her cold
little hands fingered In his He did
not think of her as a woman, and he
did not analyze his feelings. He just
had vague, dreamy thoughts and i'm
aginations that We're interspersed in
| plans tn save her
a surfing step reused him. Euchres
dark figure came crossing the moonlit
| grass under the cottonwoods. The
moment the outlaw reached him
Duane saw that he was laboring under
/ great excitement. 1t scarcely affected
Duane. He seemed to be acquiring
1 patience, calmness, strength
Bland kept you pretty long he said.
/ What till I git my breath, replied
/ Euchre. He sat silent little while,
tanning himself with sombrero, though
the night was cool. and then he went
into the cabin to return presently with
La lighted pipe.
/ Fine night he said and his tone
further acquainted Duane with Euchres
iquaint hunior. Fine night for love at
fairs. by gllm!,
I'D noticed that rejoined Duane.
1 Wal I'm son Of a gun Ii didn't
stand an watch Bland choke his wife
till her tongue stuck out an she got
black In the face
Nd! calculated Duane
Hope to die IL didn't, Buck, listen
1 to- this here yarn. When got back
4 to- the porch seen Bland was wakin.
up. He'd been too ragged out to figger
4 much. AlloWay an Kate had gone In