Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-07-12

.Tll rest a bit-then go Jack 90 the
brakes"
Young man. you amt in any shape
your trail?"
Il him we gave BANDS gan the
Slip"
'Good. I'll tell you what. I'll take
you in along with the girl, an hid
both of you till you get we'll. 1t III be
safe. MY nearest neighbor is five miles
off. We don't have much company
You risk a great dea Both outlaws
and rangers are hunting me-" said
Duane.
Never seen a ranger yet in these
parts. An have always got along with
outlaws, mebbe exceptin' Bland. l tell
yOu l owe you u good turn"
My horses might betray you,' added
Duane.
TN hide them in a place where
there's water al grass. Nobody goes
to it. Come now, let me help you in
doors.'
Duane's last fading sensations of that
hard day were the strange feel of a bed,
a relic at the removal of his heavy
boots, and of Jennie's soft, cool hands
on his hot face.
He lay i'll for three weeks before he
week then before he could walk out a
little in the dusk of the evenings. After
that his strength returned rapidly. And
it was only at the end of his long siege
that he recovered his spirits. During
most of his illness he had been silent,
moody.
Jennie, I'll be riding off soon," he
said, one evening. Il can't impose on
this good man Andrews much longer.
I'll never forget his kindness. His wife,
too-she's been so good to us. Yes.
Jennie. you and l will have to say
goodby very soon"
Don't hurry away she replied.
Lately Jennie a appeared strange
to him. She had changed from the girl
he used to see at Mrs. Bland house.
as another Indication of her regret that
he must go back to the brakes. Yet
somehow 1t made him observe her more
closely. She wore a plain, white dress
made from material Mrs. Andrews had
given her. Sleep and good food had inn
out there in the outlaw den, now she
was more than that. But she nae the
same paleness, the same strained look,
the same dark eyes full Of haunting
shadows. After Duane's realization of
the change in her he watched her more.
with a growing certainty that he would
be sorry not to see hor again.
It's likely we won't ever see each
other again." he said. That's strange
to think of. We've been through some
nara days. ana l seem TO nave known
you a long time"
Jennie appeared shy. almost sad, 50
Duane changed the subject to somo-
thing less personal.
Andrews returned one evening from
a several days trip to Huntsville.
Duane. everybody's talkin' about
how you cleaned up the Bland outfit"
he said. important and full Of news.
It's some exaggerated, accordin'
to what you told me; but you've shore
made friends on this side Of the Nu-
eces. l Their amt a town where
you wouldn't find people to welcome
you. Huntsville, you know, IL some
divided in it's ideas. Half the people
are rookie Likely enough, all them
who was SO loud in praise Of you are
the c~rookedest. For instance. met King
Fisher, the boss outlaw Of these parts.
Well, King thinks he's a decent citi-
zen. He was tellin' me what q grand
job yours was for the border an hon.
est cattlemen. Now that Bland and
Alloway are done for, King Fisher will
find rustlin' easier: There's talk of
BANDS. Blu l don't know how true it
is. l reckon Their amt much to it. In
the past when a big outlaw chief went
under, his band almost always broke
up an scattered. There's no one left
who could run tibet outfit"
Did you hear of any outlaws hunt
ing me?' asked Duane.
Nobody from BANDS outfit is hunt
in you, thet's Shore" replied Andrews.
Fisher said there never was a boss
~straddled to go on your trail. Nobody
had n use for Bland. Anyhow. his
men would be afraid to trail you. An
you could go right in to Huntsville.
where you'd be some popular. Reckon
you'd be safe, too, except when some
Of them fool saloon loafers or bad cow
p%unchers would try to shoot you for
the glory in it. Them kind of men will
bob up everywhere you go, Duane"
"Tn be able to ride and take care of
myself in a day or two" went on Du-
ane Then IN go-Id like to talk to
you about Jennie
She's welcome to a home here with
u.s."
THANK you, Andrews. You're a kind
man. But l want Jennie to get farther
away from the Rio Grande. Shed
never be safe here. Besides, she may
be able to find relatives. She has some,
though h doesn't know where they
are.'
"All right, Duane. Whatever you
take her to some town. Go north an
strike for ~Shelbyville or Crockett.
Ihem's both good towns. Ill tell Jen-
ME the names of men who'll help her.
. You needn't ride into town at ALL"
Which place is nearer, and how far
is it?"
"~Shelbyville. I reckon about two
days ride. Poor stock country, so you
amt liable to meet rustlers. AL the
same. better hit he train at night an
: go careful"
AT sunset two days later Duane and
Jennie mounted their horses and said
\ goodby to the rancher and his wife.
Andrews would not listen to Duane's
\ thanks.
II tell you I'm beholden to you yet