Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-09-07

Nope"
IF they had the nerve?'
Not tibet so much"
What then? What d make them
fight?"
"A leader,"
"Howdy thar, Jim doomed a big
voice.
A man of great bulk, with a ruddy,
merry face, entered the room.
Hello. Norton" replied Laramie.
I'D introduce you to my guest here,
but | don know his name"
"Haw! Haw! Thet's all right. Few
men out hyar go by their right names"
Say, Morton" put in Duane, Lara
me gave me a bunch you'd be a good
man to tie to. Now, I've a little money
it in stock"
Morton smiled broadly.
I'm on the square" Duane said,
bluntly. IF you fellows never size
up your neighbors any better than you
nave sized newell, you won't get any
richer"
1t was enjoyment for Duane to make
his remarks to these men pregnant with
meaning. Morton showed his pleasure,
his interest, but his faith held aloof.
I've got some money. Win you let
me IN on some kind of deal? Will you
Start me up as q stockman with a little
herd all my own"
- W oiii oul lldl
footed you'd be foolish to buy cattle
now. L don't ant to take your money
an see you lose out. Better go back
across the Pecos where the rustlers
amt so strong. / haven't had more'n
z,ooo nerd of stock for 10 years. The
rustiers let me hang on to a breedin'
herd. KIM of them, amt it,"
Sort of kind. All I hear is rustlers,
Norton replied Duane, with impa-
tlence: You see, | haven't ever lived
long III a .rustler run county. Who
heads the gang, anyWay?"
Morton looked at Duane with a
~curlously amused smile, then nappe
his big jaw as if to shut in impulsiye
words.
Look here, Morton. 1t stands to
reason, no matter how strong these
rustlers are, how hidden their work,
however involved with supposedly hon
est men-they can't last"
They come with the pioneers an,
they'll last till thar's. a single steer
left" he declared.
We'll, if you take that view of cir
cumstances just figure you as one
of the rustlers."
Morton looked as if he were about
10 praln Duane with the butt of his
whip. His anger flashed by then. evil
IDENTITY as unworthy of him; and. some
thing striking him as funny, he doomed
out a laugh.
Its not so funny Duane went on.
III you're going to pretend a yellow
streak, Ia else will 1 think?"
.~Pretend?' he repeated.
Sure. [ know men OF nerve And
here they're not any different from
thcse in other places. / say if Won show
ANYTHING like, q lack Of sand it's all
bluff. BY nature you've got nerve.
mere are a lot of men around Fairdale
who're afraid of their shadows-afraid
10 M ON tfn RI vi
their mouths. But you're not one. So
| say II you claim these rustlers will
last you're pretending lack of nerve
Just to help the popular idea along
For they can't last. What you need
out here is some new blood. Sayvv
what | mean?" '
oval, l reckon l do he replied. look
ing as If a storm had blown over him.
stranger, I'll look you up the next
time | come to town."
Then he went out.
Laramie had eyes like flint strikine,
fire.
He breathed a deep breath and
looked around the room before his gaze
liked again On Duane.
wal" ne replied, speaking low.
Iou,v picked the right men. Now.
who in the hell are your"
Reaching into the inside pocket Of
nus pucKsk'n vest, Duane turned the
FS o'1. "A Sltl shaped bright silver.
object flashed as he showed it. pocket
and all, under Jim's hard eyes.
.Ranger!" he whispered, cracking the
table with his fist. you sure rung
true to me-"
Laramie, do you know who's boss of
tnls secret gang of rustlers here
abouts?" asked Duane, bluntly. II wac
characteristic of him to come sham
TO the point. His voice-somethinl-
deep, easy, cool about him-seemed to
steady Laramie. y
No" replied Laramie.
Does anybody know?" went on
Duane. va
Wal, l reckon there's not one honest
native who knows"
But you nave your suspicions?"
I'VE have"
Give me your idea about this crowd
tnat hangs round the saloons-the reg
ulars.' IS
Jest a bad lot" replied laramie
with the quick assurance of k1.owl,
edge. Most of them have been here
years. Others have drifted in. Some
OF them work, d times. They rustic
a lew steers, steal, rob, anythin' for q
little money to drink an pamhle 10 q
a bad lott" 'e"e
Have you any idea whether Chese,-
dine and his gang are associated With
this gang here?"
Lord knows. I've always suspected
them the same gang. None of us ever
seen Cheseldine-an' thet's ]stranse
when Knell, Poggin, Panhandle smith
Blossom Kane and Fletcher, they ali
ride here "cten. No, Poggin doesn't
come often. But the others do. Fo,
tibet matter, they're around ali over
west of the Pecos.' wv
Now I'm puzzled over this" said
) Duane. why do men-apparently
honest men-seem to be so close
! mouthed here? Is that a fact, or onIy
my IMPRESSION" '
It's a sure fact" replied Laramie
darkly. Men have lost cattle an
property in Fairdale-lost them hon.
estly or otherwise, as hasn't beer
proved. An in some cases when they
t~alked-hinted a little-they was founS
dead. Apparently held up an robbed
But dead. Dead men don't talk. Thet's
} why We're close mouthed."
/, Duane felt a dark, somber sternness
Rustling cattle was not intolerable
Western Texas had gone on prospering
!, growing in spite of the ho1des O,
, rustlers ranging its vast stretches: bu1
3 a cold, secret, murderous hold on 2
3 little struggling community was some.
3 thing too strange, too terrible for mer
} to stand long.
L Tha ,.a v, rro, ,r, . 1.-..A