Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1916-12-08

kept uOuglnS TOcKS winch MS nOfSeS
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 1t
had appeared from the high elevation.
Well watered, green with grass and
tree, and farmed evidently by good
hands, it gave Duane a considerable
surprise. Horses and cattle were ev-
erywhere. Every clump of cotton
woods surrounded a small adobe house
Duane saw MeXiCans working in the
fields and horsemen going to and fro
Presently he passed a house bigger
than the others, with a porch attached.
A woman, young and pretty, he
thought, watched him from a door. No
one else appeared to notice him.
Presently the trail widened into a
road, and that into a kind of square
lined by number of adobe and log
buildings of rudest structure. Within
sight were horses, dogs, q couple of
steers. Mexican women with children,
and white men, all of whom appeared
to be doing nothing. His advent Gre
ated no interest until he rode up to
the white men, who were lolling in the
! shade of a house. This place evil
IDENTIFY was a store and saloon, and
from the inside came a lazy hum of
voices.
AS Duane refined to a halt one of the
loungers in the shade rose with loud
exclamation:
Dust me if tibet amt Luke's boss ~
The others accorded their interest.
if not assent, by rising to advance
toward Duane.
"HOw about it, Euchre? Amt tibet
Luke's bay?" queried the first man.
"Plain as your nose" replied the fell
low called Euchre.
"There amt no doubt about tibet,
them" laughed another, "fer Bosomers
nose 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 desperadoes. The
man called Bosomer, who had Stepped
forward, had a fOrbidding face, which
showed yellow eyes, an enormous nose
and a skin the color of dust, with a
thatch of sandy hair.
stranger, who are you an where
in the HI did you git tibet 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-
NAMED silent. Something leaped in,
side of him and made his breast feel
tight. He recognized it as that strange
emotion which had shot through him
often Of late, and which had decided
him to go out to the meeting with
Balm. Only now it was different, and
more powerful.
stranger, who are you" asked an
other man, somewhat more civilly.
my names Duane" replied Duane
CURLY.
"An' how'd you come by the hossY
Duane answered briefly, and his
words were followed by a 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 boss an guns" pres
emily said Euchre.
mister Duane" began Bosomer, ir
low, singing tones, 81 happen to be
Luke Stevens side pardner."
Duane looked him over, from dusty
WORKOUT boots to his slouchy som
brero. That look seemed to inflame
BOsomer.
"An want the boss an them guns,
he shouted.
"You or anybody else can have them
for all I care. l just fetched them in
But the pack is mine replied
Duane. "And, say I befriended youl
pard. If you can't use a civil tongue
you'd better cinch It,"
Civil? Haw, haww rejoined the
outlaw. 81 amt takin' your word
Savvy tibet? An was Luke's pard ?
With that BOsOmer wheeled, and
pushing his companions aside, he
stamped into the saloon, where his
voice broke out in a roar.
Duane dismounted and threw his
bride.
stranger, Bosomer is shore hot
headed" said the man Euchre. He
did not appear unfriendly, nor were
the others hostile.
At this juncture several more out
laws crowded out of the door, and the
one in the lead was a tall man OF
stalwart physique. His manner pro
claimed him a leader He had Ions
face, a flaming red beard, and clear
feold 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 his
state.
"Tm Bland" said the tall man, au
thorltatlvely. "Who're you, and what'rC
. you doing hereY
; Duane looked Mt Bland as he had