The Ozark spectator., 1916-09-23
What's that?" asked Duane.


 bad conscience, and life, too, doesn't it?"
 'I ain't shore about the bad con science. Mine never bothered me none. An as for life, why, thet's cheap in Texas"
 Who is Bland?" asked Duane, quickly changing the subject. What do you know. about himw
 "We don't know who he Is or where he halls from" replied Euchre. '"Thet's always been somethin' to interest the gang. He must have been q young man when he struck Texas. Now he's middle-aged. I remember how years ago he was soft-spoken an not rough in talk or act like he is now Bland aint likely his right name. He knows a lot He can doctor you, an he's shore a knowin' feller with tools. He's the kind thet 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."
 
 'I 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 big force" asked Duane. "Especially 1 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 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 Il shoot at wink. He's killed q lot of fellers, an some fer nothin'. The reason thet outlaws gather round him an stick is because he's q safe refuge, an then he's well heeled. Bland is rich. They say he has a hundred thousand pesos hid somewhere, an lots of gold. But he's free with money. He gambes 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 moneyr
 Its q wonder he hasn't been killed. All these years on the border." ex- claimed Duane.
 Wal" replied Euchre dryly, Ines been quicker on the draw than the other fellers who hankered to kill him, thet'S all"
 Euchres reply rather chilled Duane's interest for the moment. Such remarks always made his mind resolve round facts pertaining to himself.
 "Speakin' of this here swift wrist game" went on Euchre, there's been considerable talk in camp about your throwin' of a gun. I heard Bland say this afternoon-an' he said it serious like an speculative-thet he'd never seen your equal. All the fellers who seen you meet Bosomer. had somethin' 10 say. An they all shut up when Bland told who an what your dad was. Pears to me 1 once seen your dad in Il gun-Scrape over at Santone, years ago. Wal, l put my oar in to- day among the fellers, an l says: What ails you locoed gents? Did young Duane budge an inch when Bo came roarin' out, blood in his eye? Wasn't he cool an quiet, steady of lips, an weren't his eyes readin' Bo's mind? An thet lightnin' draw-can't yOu-aIl see thet's a family gift?"
 Euchre's narrow eyes twinkled, and he gave the dough he was rolling slap with his tlour-whitened hand. Manifestly he had proclaimed himself q champion and partner of Duane's, with all the pride an old man could feel in young one whom he admired.
 Wal he resumed, presently, ''thets your introduction to the border, Buck. An your card was a high trump. You'll be let severely alone by real gun-fghters an men like Bland. Alloway, Rugg, an the bosses of the other gangs. After all, these real men are men, you know, an 0nless you cross them they're no more likely to interfere with you than you are with them.
 "The only feller who's goin' to put close eye on you is Benson. He runs the store an sells drinks. The gang calls him Jacksabbit Benson, because he's always got his eye peeled an his ears cooked.
 "Bland's not here tonight. He left to-day on one of his trips, talin' Allo- way an some others. But his other man, Rugg he's here. Rugg's the little bow-legged man with half of his face shot off. He's one-eyed. But he can shore see out of the one he's got. An there's Hardin. You know him? He's got an outlaw gang as big as Blands"
 Euchre went on calling Duane's at tention to other men of the band. Any one of them would have been mark ed man in respectable crowd. Here each took his place with more or less distinction, according to the record of his past wild prowess and his present poSsihilitieS Duane realizing that he