The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1916-11-30

The trail proved TO he the kind that
could not he descended slowly. He
kent dodging rocks which his horses
loosed behind him. And In a short
time he reached and rode down the
green retreat, wondering what would
be his reception.
The valley was much larger than II
had appeared from the high elevation
Well watered, green with grass aud
tree. and farmcd evidently by good
hands, IL gave Duane considerable
surprise. Horses and cattle were ev-
erywherc. Every clump Of cotton
woods surrounded small adobe house.
Duane saw MeXicans working In the
fields and horsemen going to and fro.
Presently he passed house bigger
than the others, with porch attached.
A woman, young and pretty, he
thought. watched him from door. No
one else appeared to notice him.
Presently the trail widened into n
road and that into n kind OF square
lined by n number of adobe and log
buildings OF rudest structure. within
sight were horses, dogs, couple Of
steers, Mexican women with children,
and white men, all Of whom appeared
to he doing nothing. His advent Gre
nted no interest until he rode up TO
the white men, who were lolllng in the
shade OF house This place evil
IDENTIFY was store and saloon, and
from the inside came lazy hum of
voices.
As Duane refined to halt one of the
loungers In the shade rose with loud
exclamation
"Bust me II thet amt Luke's hoss ~
The others accorded their interest,
II not assent by rising TO advance
toward Duane.
How about It. Euchre? Amt thet
Luke's bayT queried the first man.
"Plain as your nose" replied the fell
low called Euchre.
"1'Eere amt no doubt about thet,
Th4i," laughed another, "fer Bosomer's
aose is shore plain on the landscape"
, These men lined up before Duane,
and as he coolly regarded them he
/ thought they could have been recog-
nized anywhere as desperndoes. The
man called Bosomer, who had stepped
forward had forbidding face which
showed yellow eyes. an enormous nose,
and skin the color OF dust, with a
thatch of sandy hair.
| stranger who are you an where
in the HI did you git thet bay hoss?'
he demanded. His yellow eyes took in
Stevens horse then the weapons hung
on the saddle, and finally turned their
glinting, hard light upward to Duane
Duane did not like the tone in which
he had been addressed, and he re-
mained silent. Something leaped in
side of him and made his breast feel
tight. He recognized 1t as that strange
often of late. and which had decided
him TO go out to the meeting with
Balm. Only now 1t was different, and
more powerful.
stranger, who are your" asked an
other man, somewhat more civilly.
"My names Duane" replied Duane
curtly.
AN how'd you come by the hoss? ?
Duane answered briefly, and his
words We're followed by short silence
during which the men looked at him
Bosomer began to twist the ends OF
his beard.
Reckon he's dead. all right, or no
body'd hev his hoss an guns" pres
emily said Euchre.
"Mister Duane" began Bosomer, II
low, stinging tones, 81 happen to b'
Luke Stevens side pardner."
Duane looked him over, from dusty
worn-out boots TO his slouchy som
brero. That look seemed to innam'
Bosomer.
"An' want the hoss an them guns,
he shouted.
'Gou or anybody else can have them
for all | care. / Just fetched them In
But the pack is mine" replied
] Duane. "And, say, l befriended you
pard. II you can't use civil tongu,
you'd better cinch It,"
civil? IIaw, hawr' rejolned IN,
outlaw. 81 amt takin' your word
Savvy thet? An | was Luke's pnrd!'
With that BOsomer wheeled, and
pushing his companions aside. h
stamped into the saloon, where hi
voice broke out in a roar.
Duane dismounted and threw hi
bride.
stranger, Bosomer is shore hot
headed" said the man Euchre. Ill
did not appear unfriendly, nor wer
the others hostile.
At this juncture several more out
laws crowded out Of the door, and tn
one in the lead was a tall man o
stalwart physique. His manner pro
claimed him leader. He had n lon
face, flaming red beard, and clear
cold blue eyes that fixed in close scru
tiny upon Duane. He was not Tex
an; in truth, Duane, did not recognize
one OF these outlaws as native to hi
state.
I'm Bland" said the tall man, au