The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-05-18
CHAPTER XVI.
THE TWIST OF CIRCUMSTANCE

-
THE TWIST OF CIRCUMSTANCE.
For some minutes after Jess had re-
~luctantly left him, obdurate, indeed, to
her opportunities, Buck stood thinking.
L reckon I'm he special agent of
Providence for the job" he ia quiet
~ 10 himself. Il always wondered how
IT d feel to know you was at the end
or Your rope. 1t sure must put a
premium on wickedness.''
Yet he had no sense of doing any
wrong thing in what he now set about
DONG. Neither did Bucks conscience
trouble him for what he had done.
He made for the little metal house
some distance off, where he knew Card
ross, men had stored their explosives,
hesitated not an instant to break open
the lock with the heavy crowbar he
had found in the tool shed. and there
after went o his task with a cool
ness n t~horoSghness which he meant
should not miscarry.
Iie laid his mines, using such pur-
posed openings as he found in the
masonry of the dam, trusting to heavy
charges to do the work ef~fectually.
He set the alarm with which Card
ross battery was furnished, and then
going for his horse, Buck rode up
seream n waited. He could only trust
mat no n would approach the dam
from the Loop direction during the few
intervening minutes.
Ine shock of the ensuing explosion
shattered the glass in windows miles
| away.
It almost knocked down the horse
growing uneasiness lest after all he had
not puilded well. And it did more than
a 1t shattered the retaining locks
behind which Raccoon river was pent
UP. ana the released water went roar
!ng gown over the shattered dam, over
IIOWlyfR t1a rafIfrnl hnl ~0 49, $780,.
and tearing through the underbrrsh ms
vastatien.
Buck. sitting his horse, laughed
gr aHGn - .o,,,a
h might have sounded CHASTITY had
any been there to hear 1t, IF nv rife
goes out at the end Of a rope, I'll know
done more damage than KILN one
worthless cayute."
Hg ODE for miles before the freshet
ne a loosened. spending itself grad
uaiy, gave him the desired opportunity
TO cross over and head his horse for
nome, for he a waited on the wrong
sue OF the destruction he had wrought.
And SO when he at last, sober a nd
somewhat weary. reached the stables ofA
ttie Loop. 1t was to learn from many
excited voices Of the utter demolition
OF Cardross' dam, and the finding Of
GaFdross. mang1ed body beneath
h debris.
Oddly this unexpected twist In the
coil OF events struck Buck dumb. He
heard Skull Williams saying.
must ha' repented OF his
meanness. poor devil, an gone out there
70 undo all he had done. He'd ordered1
] It. Buck?
Skuil looked with reminiscent mean
Ing OF their own interrupted designs at
ehe white face of Buck Brannoh.
Another on the outskirts Of the little
group was watching Bdck. an agony
of ~entreaty in her eyes.
Where he stood. Buck ungirthed his
addte and Slipped the brtfie from his
faded horse. Striking the animal gen
tiy on its flank, he sent It on to its stall.
the saddle by the wall Of the
stable. In silence stfl he passed
through the group OF men and ioined1
Jess sKilrain a
You've often swore You loved me.
BUCK" the girl mrrrnured brokenly'
the youl o wo Gna wasn't 5ealssat, chat. for
your head nov. Don't stand mere talk
IN. TO me. They're watching rs.~
Uncertain. Buck turned n moved
Now. amt that Just like Buck
Brannon:" exclaimed Skun.;Wiliams
softly. 81 had no cause to love BIassj
his deafh.,' -
Buck was not, though.
An act for which he had no sense
taxing on the horrid secrecy Of crime
With the passing of every minute Buckj
1sit his feet slipping deeper In the mfre.
re mad not f0reseen that his full con-
fession would involve Jess Kilrain.
TALKING about him, and q quick int,1.
| said. 10y
He wheeled In his tracks and came
back to them.
he cried. .He was a scoundrel an, a
coward, an all the more SO cause he
needn't ha' been with all the good thar
was In him. Dofn't think I'm cryin,
cause Ms mes dead. Skull. I amt"
and plunged through the open stable
door. leaving them not a little shocked.
II the truth were told.
skull jerlsed his ugly head.
an lnatss BUCK, too he said, more
ten with honesty
Don't talk go much, Skull Williams,
came Jess Kilrain's nervous voice as
she turned to leave. You rattle like
a real deaths head
In the low laughter that followed
Perry Green rose and detached himself
from h group. He strolled leisureIy
into the stable. where he stopped be-
Iore BUCK engaged in rubbing down
his iathered accouterments. Al Quiz
zical CLEAN came into the big fellows
eyes.
Buck. he asked softly. ahow many
sticks of dandermite would you reckon
q safe an ~effectual charge to blast the
walls OF Jerusalem the Golden. an turn
loose the River Jordan p,
Buck frowned. In spite Of himself
he laughed.
I'm in the devil Of a mess, Perry.
ne said; but faint just as you're fig
The big cowpuncher nodded. He was
very grave now.
Go slow, | man.. he offered. san.
take 1t easy. II a skunk gifts Smashed
when You chop down a hollow tree.
faint sayin' he wouldn't ha. soused
You first II he'd got the chance.