Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-06-29
NOT. There was an even balance.
mo offense, Bill" said Jasper placid

not. There was an even palahce
mo offense, Bill SAID casper p'ae4u-
4 ly, without moving. pat
he seemed restless and dlssatlsflee-
Duane knew him to be an lnVetera.e
gambler. And. as Benson's place was
out of running order. Black was IKE
a fish on dry land. III.
Wal, if youall are afraiu Oh .ne
cards. what will you bet on?' he asKea'
in disgust.
peg fer two bits" replied one.
Black eagerly accepted. Betting 10
him was a serious matter. Inc
game obsessed him, not the stakes. he
entered into the mumbly peg contes1
with a thoughtful mlen ana d colued
brow. He won. Other comrades trleu
their llC1 with him and lost. Finally,
when Bill had exhausted their supply
of tYo-bit pieces or their desire Tor that
particular game, he offered TO get Oh
anything.
".She the turtle-dove there?' he sald'
pointing. I'm bet he'll scare at one
stone or he won't. Five pesos ne II 10y
or he won't fly when some one chuch9
a stone. Who'll take me up?"
That appeared to be more n the
gambling spirit Of several outlaws coule
withstand.
That tibet. Easy money" said one;
who's goin' to chuck the stone?
asked another.
anybody" replied Bill.
Wal, I'll bet you l can scare him
with one stone" said the first outlaw.
We're in on tibet, Jim to fire the
darnick," chimed in the others.
The money was put up, the stone
thrown. The tu~rtle-dove o flight, TO
the great joy of all the outlaws except
Bill.
"Ill bet you-all he'll come back to
tibet tree inside of five minnits." he Of
fered, imperturbably.
Hereupon the outlaws did not show
any laziness in their alacrity to cover
Bills one as it lay on the grass.
Somebody had a watch, and they all sat
down, dividing attention between the
timepiece and the tree. The minutes
dragged by to the accompaniment of
various jocular remarks anent a fool
and his money. When four n three
quarter minutes had passed a turtle
dove alighted in the cottonwood. Then
! ensued an impressive silence while Bill
calmly pocketed the SO dollars.
But it hain't the same dove!" ex-
claimed one outlaw, excitedly. This
N Is smaller, dustier, not SO purple"
Bill eyed the speaker loftily.
Wal, you'll have to ketch the other
one to prove thet. Sabe, pard? Now
III bet any gent heah the so l won tibet
l can scare tibet dove with one Stone"
No one offered to take his wager
wall, then, I'll bet any Of you ever
money tibet You can't scare him with
one tone"
Not proof against this chance, the
outlaws made up a purse, In no wise
disconnected by Bills c~ontemptuous al
lusions to their banding together. The
stone was thrown. The dove did not
fly. Thereafter, in regard to that bird,
XIII was In2h1e To r03Y or CcDrn his
comrades into any kind of wager.
He tried them with a multiplicity of
offers, and in vain. Then he appeared
at a loss for some unusual and seduc-
tive wager. Presently a little ragged
Mexican boy came along the river trail.
ing little fellow. Bill called to him and
gave him a handful of silver coins.
Speeches., daZed, he went his way
hugging the money.
I'll bet he drops some before he gifts
to the road" declared Bill. 'Ill bet he
runs. Hurry, you four-flush gamblers"
Bill failed to interest any Of his COM
and silent. Strangely his good humor
departed in spite of the fact that he
had won considerable.
Duane, watching the disgruntled out
law. marveled at him and wondered
what was in his mind. These men We're
ihoiC NdlldDlc lldl CIlklulen, as un-
stable as water. as dangerous as dyna-
mite.
BILL, I'll bet o ten o can't spill
w~hatever's in the bucket tibet poems
packin'," said the outlaw called Jim.
Blacks head came up with the action
OF a hawk about to swoop.
Duane glanced from Black to the
road. where he saw a crippled peon
carrying a tin bucket toward the river.
This peon was a half-Witted Indian who
llVed in a shack and did odd Jobs for
the MeXicans. Duane had met him
often.
Jim, III take you up" replied Black.
Something, perhaps a harshness in
his voice, caused Duane to whirI. He
caught a leaping CLEAN in the outlaws
eye.
Jaw, Bill, thet's too fur a shot" said
Jasper, as Black rested an elbow on
heavy Colt. The distance to the peon
was about so PAGES, too far for even
the most expert shot to hit a moving
object so small as a bucket.
Duane, marvelously keen in the align
ment Of sights was positive that Black
held too high. Another look At the hard
race, now tense n dark with blood,
confirmed Duane's suspicion that the
outlaw was not aiming at the bucket
at all. Duane leaped and struck the
leveled gun out of his hand. Another
outlaw picked it up.
Black fell back ~aStounded. Deprived
OF his weapon, he did not seem the
same nan or else he was cowed by
Duane's significant and formidable
front. Sullenly he turned away with
out even asking for his gun.
CHAPTER VIII.