Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-11-22

| ] :
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. IN
low, singing tones, II happen to be
Luke Stevens side pardner.'
| Duane looked him over from dusty
WORKOUT boots to his slouchy som
I brero. That look seemed to infame
BOsomer.
"An' / want the boss an them guns
he shouted.
'You or anybody else can have them
for all / care. just fetched them In
But the pack is mine" replied
Dunno. "And, say, I befriended your
pard. If you can't use civil tongue
| you'd better cinch it."
Il civil? Haw, haw!" rejoined the
outlaw. II amt takin' your word
! Savyy tibet? An / was Luke's pardP
With that Bosomer wheeled, and
pushing his companions aside, he
stamped into the saloon, where his
voice broke out in 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 tall man OF
stalwart physique. His manner pro-
! claimed him leader. He had a long
| 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 his
state.
.Tm Bland" said the tall man, au'
| thorftatively. Whore you, and what're
you doing here?'
Duane looked at Bland as he had
at the others. This outlaw chief ap.
| peared to be reasonable, II he was
not courteous. Duane told his story
again, this time little more in detail
II believe you" replied Bland at
once "Think know when fellow is
lying"
II reckon you're on the right TRAIL
put in Euchre. "Thet about Luke
wantin' his boots took off-thet salts
fies me. Luke he'd a mortal dread OF
dyin' with his boots on"
At this sally the chief and his men
laughed.
"You said Duane Buck Duane? q
queried Bland. "Are You son of that
Duane who was a gun-fghter some
years bacll?"
EYES," replied Duane.
'Neyer met him, and glad didn't
said Bland, with a grim humor. $50
you got in trouble and had to go on
the dodge? What kind of troubled"
Had a fight"
"Fight? Do You mean gun-playT
questioned Bland. He seemed eager
curious, speculative.
Eyes. 1t ended in gun-play. Tn
sorry to say" answered Duane.
"Guess I needn't ask the son OF
Duane if he killed his man. went on
Bland, ironically. "Well, Tn sorry
you bucked against trouble in my
camp. But, as it is, I guess you'd be
wise to make yourself scarce"
'Do you mean I'm politely told tc
move on ?. asked Duane, quietly.
"Not exactly that" said Bland, as II
irritated. ''If this isn't a free place
there isn't one on earth. Every man il
equal here. Do you want to join my
band?"
No, DON'T
swell, event If you did, I Imagine that
wouldn't stop Bosomer. Hes an ugly
fellow. Merely for your own sake, ]
advise -you to hit the trail"
"Thanlls. But If that's ali, I'll stay
returned Duane. Even as he spoke he
felt that he did not know himself.
Bosomer appeared at the door, push
| ing men who tried to detain him, END
as he jumped clear OF a last reaching
hand, he uttered snarl like an angry
dog. Bland and the other outlaws
quickly moved aside, letting Duane
stand alone. When Bosoiner saw
Duane standing Inotionless and watch
FIJI, strange change passed quickly
! in him. He halted in his tracks, and
as he did that the men who had fol
lowed him out piled over one another
in their hurry to set to one side,
Duane saw all the swift action, fel,
Iintuitively the meaning of it, and In
Bosomer's sudden change of front. The
outlaw was keen. and he had expected q
shrinking, or at least,a frightened an
| tag0nist. Duane knew he was. mel.
Their. He felt like iron, and yet thrill
after thrill ran through him. The out
law had come out to kill him. And
now, though somewhat checked by the
stand OF stranger, he still meant tc
kill But he did not speak a word
He remained motionless for long mo-
ment. his eyes pale and steady, his
right hand like a claw.
That instant gave Duane a power to
read in his enemy's eyes the thought
that preceded action. But Duane did
not want to kill another man. Still,
he would have to fight, and he decided
to cripple Bosomer When Bosomers
hand moved Duans's gun was spout
| ing fire. Two shots only-both from
Duane's gun--and the OUTLAW fell with
his right arm shattered Bosomer
cursed harshly, and floundered i'll the
dust, trying to reach the gun with his
l7left hand. His comrades however