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

Abe, if you amt drunk or crazy.
tell tibet over,' ordered Abe's interlo-
cutor.
With some show of resentment and
n ore of dignity Abe reiterated his for
mer statement.
IF he's Buck Duane how'n he'll did
you get hold of his gum" bluntly
queried the cowboy,
"Why-he set down thar-an' he kind
OF hid his a on his hand. An /
grabbed his gun an got the drop on
him"
What the cowboy thought of his was
expressed in n laugh. His mates like
wise s%rinned broadly. Then the leader
turned to Duane.
stranger, | reckon you'd better
speak up for yourself" he said.
That stilled the crowd as no COM
mand "a done.
Pm Buck Duane, all right" said
Duane, quietly. 1T was this way"
The big o boy seemed to vibrate
with a shock. All the rudy warmth
left his face; his jaw began to bulge;
the corded veins in his mack stood out
IN Knots. In an instant he had a hard,
stern, strange look. He shot out a
powerful hand that fastened in the
front of Duane's blouse.
'Somethin' queer here. But if you're
Duane you're sure in bad. Any fool
ought to know that. You mean it,
then?"
Yes"
Rode into shoot up the town, h
Same old stunt of you gun fighters?
Want to Kill the man who offered a
reward? Wanted to see Jeff Aiken
bad, huh?"
No replied Duane. Your citizen
here misrepresented things. He seems
a little off his head"
Reckon he is. Somebody is, that's
sure. NOl claim RIrk Dnono 4har ON,
all his doings?"
I'm Duane: yes. But l won't stand
for the blame of things | never did.
That's why I'm here. l saw that pla-
card out there offering the reward.
Untll now | never was within half a
for WHIT | never did. 1 rode in here.
told who / was, asked somebody to
send for Jeff Aiken"
An then you set down an let this
old guy throw your own gun on ?'
queried the cowboy in amazement.
i guess that's it," replied Duane.
We'll, it's powerful strange, if you're
really Buck Duane"
A man elbowed his way into the circle.
Its Duane. | recognize his. seen
MN moren one place." he said. "Si-
pert, you a rely on what l tell you.
| don't know if he's locoed or what.
But do know he's the genuine Buck
1N''iiI' EiiS III WIZ u ever seen MN
onct would never forget him.
What do you want to see Aiken
for asked he cowboy Sibert.
Il want to face him, to tell him
never harmed his wife"
"NVhy?"
"Because I'm innocent, that's all"
Suppose we send for Aiken an he
hears you an doesn't believe you; what
them"
IF he won't believe newly then
my cases so bad-T'd be better off
dead
momentary silence was broken by
Sibert.
IF this isn't a queer deal, Bows.
reckon we'd better sen1 for Jeff"
somebody went fer him. He'll be
comm soon" replied a man.
-lh,ccc stcc1 = head taller ti,ia,. ti,,t
circle of curious faces. He eazed ont
above an beyond them. 1t was i'm this
"a that he CHANGED to see a number
of women on the outskirts of the
crowd. Some We're old, with hard
faces. like the men. Some We're Young
and comedy. and most of these seemed
a"itated bv excitement ur distress
They cast fearful. pitving glances upon
Duane as he stood there with that
moose ronnd his neck. Women wore
/ more human than men. Duane thought
He met ewes that dilated, seemed fas-
cinafed at his gaze. but were not
averted, 1t was the old women who
We're vol"hle, loud in expression of
1 their feelings.
Near he trunk of the cottonwood
stool a s der woman in white. Du-
ane's WANDERING glance rested upon
her. Her ewes were riveted upon him
A soft hearted probably. who
did not want to see him hanged!
Thar comes Jeff Aiken now" called
a man, loudly.
The crowd shifted and ttampled in
ea~erness.
Duane saw two men coming fast
one of whom. in the lead was Of stall
wart build. He had a ern in his hand
and his manner was Of fierce energy.
The cowbov Sihert thrust open the
iostin" circle of men.
"Hold on, jeff" he called, and he
blocked the man with the CUR. He
smoke so low Duane could not heal
what he said and his form hid Aiken's
face. At hat iuncture the CROWD
snread ont. closed in. and Aiken ant
Sibert We're ran"ht in the circle, There
was a pnshing forward. a pressing OF
mrnv bodies. hoarsa cries md flinr-
ing hanas-arain the insane t,,m,,1t
for an outlaws blood. the call for 8
wills E'sStice executed 1000 times before
on Tevas' bloody soil.
Sihart beloved at the dark en-.
rrcachine mass. The cowboys witt
him haat AMI c"feed in vain.
Jeff. will Won listenp" broke in Sj.
bert h~urriedly, his hand on the othe,
mans arm.
Aiken nodded cody. Duane, who hat
seen MANY men in nerfect control q
themselves under circumstances lik,
these. recognized the spirit that domi
mated Aiken He was white, cold. mas.
sionless. The~e were lines of bitte,
I Grief dean .~uroJ his 1ir. avc