The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1916-10-06
"What's thatY' asked Duane.

"But it costs hard rides and trouble
bad conscience, and life, too, doesn'
it7"
II amt shore about the bad cor
science. Mine never bothered me none
An as for life, why, thet's cheap il
Texas"
"Who is Bland?" asked Duane
quickly changing the subject. "Wha
do you know about him?"
"We don't know who he is or where
he halls FROM" replied Euchre. "Thet'!
always been somcthin' to interest the
gang. He must have been a young
man when he struck Texas. Now he's
middle-aged. / remember how years
ago he was soft-spoken an not rough
in talk or act like he is now. Blanc
amt likely his right name. He knows
a lot. He can doctor you, an he's
shore a KNOWN Teller with tools
| He's the kind tibet rules men. Outlaws
| are always ridin' in here to join his
gang, an if it hadn't been fer the
gamblin' an gun-play he'd have a
thousand men around him."
''How many in his gang now?"
81 reckon there's short of hundred
now. The number varies. Then Bland
has several small camps up an down
the river. Also he has men back on
the cattle-ranges."
"How does he control such a big
force" asked Duane. Especially
when his bands composed of bad men.
Luke Stevens said he had no use for
Bland. And I heard once somewhere
that Bland was a devil"
"Thet's it. He is a devil He's as
hard as flint, violent in temper, never
made any friends except his right
hand men, Dave Rugg an Chess Allo-
way. Bland III shoot at a wink. He's
killed lot of fellers, an some fer
nothin'. The reason thet outlaws
gather round him an stick is because
he's safe refuge, an then he's well
heeled. Bland is rich. They say he
has hundred thousand pesos hid
somewhere, an lots of gold. But he's
free with money. He CANDLES when
he's not off with shipment of cattle.
He throws money around. An the
fact is there's always plenty of money
where he is. Thet's what holds the
gang. Dirty, bloody money!"
cts wonder he hasn't been killed.
All these years on the border!" ex-
claimed Duane.
''Wal." replied Euchre, dryly, 'he's
been quicker on the draw than the
other fellers who hankered to kill him.
thet's ALL"
Euchre's reply rather chilled
Duane's interest for the moment. Such
'ound facts pertaining to himself.
"Speakin' of this here swift wrist |
game" went on Euchre, there's been
talk in camp about your
hrowin' of gun. I heard Bland say
his afternoon-an' he said it serious
ike an speculative-thet he'd never
cen your equal. All the fellers who
cen you meet BOsomer had sOmethin'
o say. An they all shut up when
Bland told who an what your dad
vas. Pears to me ] once seen your
ad in gun-Scraps over at Santone,
ears ago. Wal, put my oar in to-
ay among the fe'lers, an l says:
What ails you locoed gents? Did
Dung Duane bulge an inch when 30
anne roarin' out, b God in his eye?
wasn't he cool an quiet, steady of
ps, an weren't his eyes readin Bo's
ind? An tibet light aim draw-can't
Quail see thet's family gift?"
Euchre's narrow eyes twinkled, and
. gave the dough hn was rolling
APP with his hour-,yhitened hand. '
anifestly he had pro. 'laimed himself
champion and partner of Duanes.
it'll all the pride an old man could |
el in young one whom he admired.
"Wal," he resumed, presently,
het's your Introduction to the border,
lck. An your carl was a high 8
Jump. You'll be let severely alone by
al gun-fghters an men like Bland. S
loway, Rugg, an thu bosses of the y
her gangs. After all, these real men +
e men, you know, an onless you A
Dss them they're no more likely to "
terfere with you than you are with k
ELI. b
'"The only Teller who's goin' to put W
close eye on you is Benson. He runs )
2 store an sells drinks. The gang d
lis him Jackrabhit Benson, because r.
S always got his eye peeled an "
ears cooked. OF
'Bland's not here tonight. He left u
day on one of his trips, takin' Alio- | az
y an some Others. But his other N
n, Rugg, he's here. Riggs the 81
lie bow-legged man with half of his II
e shot off. Hes one-eyed. But he Je
shore see out of the one he's got. pr
there's Hardin. You know him? on
S got an outlaw gang as big as oV
nd's." WI
,uchre went on calling Duane's at IL
ton to other men of the band. Any 70
of them woald have been mark On
man in a respectable crowd. Here as
h took his place with more or less ne
incti0n, according to the record OF
past wild prowess and his present Pill
sibilities. Duane, realizing that he up
tolerated there. received in care ma
spirit by this terrible class OF
,astS. experienced q feeling of re- Du