The Benson signal., 1916-12-09
The Lone Star Ranger
A Fine Tale OF the Open Country BY ZANE GREY

turned white, her eyes dilated. Both
girls were staring at someone behind
Duane.
"Turn around!" ordered the harsh
voice.
The big, dark stranger, the bearded
one who had whispered to his COM
rade in the bar-rOom and asked
Duane to drink, had him covered with
cooked gun. He strode forward,
his eyes cleaning, pressed the gun
against him, and with his other hand
dived into his inside pocket and tore
out his roll of bills. Then he reached
low at Duane's hip, felt his gun, and
took it. His comrade stood, in the
door with a gun leveled at two other
men, who stood there frightened,
speechlesS.
"Git move on, Bill" called this
fellow; and he took a hasty glance
backward. A stamp of hoofs came
from outside. OF course the robbers
had horses waiting. The one called
Bill strobe across the room, and with
brutal, careless haste began to prod
the two men with his weapon and to
search them. The robber in the door
way called 'Rustle!" and disappeared.
Duane wondered where the inn
keeper was, and Colonel Longstreth
and the other two passengers. The
bearded robber had wheeled once
more. Duane had not moved a muscle,
but stood perfectly calm with his arms
high. The rObber strobe back with
his bloodshot eyes fastened upon the
girls. Miss Longstreth never flinched,
but the little girl appeared about to
faint.
"Don't yap, there!" he said, low
and hard. He thrust the gun close to
Ruth. Duane had a little gun in his
pocket The robber had missed it.
And he began to calculate chances.
"Any money, jewelry, diamonds u
ordered the ruffian. fiercely.
Miss Ruth collapsed. Then he
made at Miss Longstreth. She stood
with her hands at her breast. Evil
IDENTIFY the robber took this position
to mean that she had valuables con-
cealed there. But Duane fancied she
had instinctively pressed her hands
against a throbbing heart.
"Come out with it," he said, harsh
ly, reaching for her.
"Don't dare touch met" she cried,
her eyes ablaze. She did not move.
She had nerve. She eluded two
lunges the man made at her. Then
his rough hand caught at her waist,
and with one pull ripped it asunder,
exposing her beautiful shoulder, white
as snow.
She cried out. The prospect of be-
ing robbed or even killed had not
shaken Miss Longstreth's nerve as
had this brutal tearing off of half
her waist.
The ruffian was only turned par
tally away from Duane. The gun was
still held dangerously upward close
to her. Duane watched only that.
Then below made him jerk his head.
Colonel Longstreth stood in the door
way in magnificent rage. He had
no weapon. Strange how he showed
no fear! He beloved something
again.
Duane's shifting glance caught the
robbers sudden movement. He seem
ed stricken. The hand that clutched
Miss Longstreth's torn waist loosened
it's hold. The other hand with it's
cooked weapon slowly dropped till II
pointed to the floor. That was
Duane's chance.
Swift as a flash he drew his gun
and fired. Then the robbers gun
doomed harmlessly. He fell with
blood squirting over his face. Duane
rushed out of the room, across the
patio, through the bar to the yard
In the gloom stood a saddled horse
probably the one belonging to the
fellow he had shot. His comrade hao
escaped. Returning to the sitting
room, Duane found a condition ap'
preaching pandemonium.
The innkeeper was shouting to tino
out what had happened. Joel, the
stage-driver, was trying to quiet the
men who had been robbed. The wo'
man, wife Of one of the men, had
come in, and she had Mysteries. The
girls were still and white. The rob-
Der Bill lay where he had fallen. Like
a Gagged lion Longstreth stalked and
roared. There came a quieter mo-
ment in which the innkeeper shrilly
protested:
"Man, what're you ravin' ABBOTT
Nobodys hurt, an thets lucky.
swear to God hadn't nothin' to &c
with them fellers!"
81 ought to kill you anyhow" re-
piled Longstreth. And his voice now
astounded Duane, it was so full OF
power.
Upon examination Duane found
that his bullet had furrowed the rob
ber's temple and had glanced. He was
not seriously injured, and already
showed signs Of returning conscious
ness.
oH or,1o