Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-09-27

level. and, we'll hidden in a niche. he
settled himself to watch both trail and
valley. He made note of the position
OF the sun n saw that if anything de-
veloped or If he decided to descend n
farther there was small likelihood of
MS getting back to his camp before
dark. To try that after nightfall he inn
agined would be vain effort.
Ihen he bent his keen eyes down
ward. The cabin appeared to be a crude
structure. Though large in size, it had,
of course, been built by outlaws.
There vas no garden, no cultivated
field, no corral. Excepting for the rude
pile OF stones and logs plastered to-
gether with mud, the valley vas as wild,
probably, as on the day of discovery.
Duane seemed to have been watching
for a long time before he saw any sign
OF man, and this n apparently went to
the stream for water and returned to
the cabin.
The sun went down behind the wall,
and hadOW were born in the darker
places of the valley. Duane began to
want to get closer to that cabin. What
had he taken this arduous climb for?
He held back, however, trying to evolve
further plans.
While he was bordering the shadows
quickly gathered and darkened. If he
was to so back to camp he must set out
at n Still he fingered. And suddenly
ms wide rowing eye caught sight of two
horsemen riding up the valley. They
must nave entered at a point below,
u the huge abutment of rock, be-
You'd Duane's range of sight. Their
horses We're tired and stopped at the
stream for a long drink.
Duane left his perch, took to the steep
tfall, and descended as fast a he could
without making noise.
1T did moi take him long to reach the
valley floor. 1t was almost level, with
deep grass. and hare and .fhoro Cl1mnS
OF bushes. Twilight was already thick
down there. Duane marked the loca-
ton of the trail, and then began, to slip
like a shadow through the grass and
from bush to bush. He saw a bright
light before he made out the dark out
line of he cabin. Then he heard voices,
a merry whistle, a coarse song, and the
cllnk OF iron cooking utensils. He
smelled fragrant wood smoke. He saw
moving dark figures cross the light.
Evidently there was a wide door, or
else the fire was out in the open.
Duane swerved to the left, out of
direct line with the light, and thus vas
able to see better. Then he advanced
noiselessly but swiftly toward the back
Of the house. There were trees close
to the wall. He would make no noise,
and he could scarcely be seen-if only
there was no watch dog! But all his
outlaw days he had taken risks with
only his useless life at stake; now, with
that changed, he advanced stealthy
anG bold as an lnCian. He reached the
v of the trees, knew he was hidden
IN their shadows, for at a few PAGES
distance he had been able to see only
their tops. From there he slipped up
to the house and felt along a wall with
his hands.
He came to a little window where
Mght shone through. He .peeped in. He
saw a room shrouded in shadows, a
lamp turned low. a table, chairs. He
saw an open door, with bright flare
peyond. but could not see the fire.
Voices came indistinctly. Without hes
ltatlon Duane stole farther along-all
ing round. he saw only the flare of
lght on bare ground. Retracing his
cautions steps, he paused at the crack
again. saw that no man was in the
room. and then he went on round that
end OF the cabin. Fortune favored him..
pile, all the cover he needed at that
corner. He did not even need to crawl.
Before he peered between the rough
corner of wall and the bush growing
close to 1t Duane paused a moment.
rms excitement was different from
that he had always felt when pursued.
1t a no bitterness, no pain, no dread.
Ihere was as much danger here, per-
haps more, yet it was not the same.
Then he looked.
He saw a bright fire. a red faced
mar bending over it, whistling, while
ne handled a steaming pot Over him
was a rooted she'd built against the
wall. with w open sides and two sup
porting posts. Duane second glance,
not so blinded by the sudden bright
lignt. made out other men, three in
the shadow, two in the flare. but with
backs to him.
It's a smoother trail by long odds,
but amt SO short as this one right over
the mountain" one outlaw was saying.
M eatin' you, Panhandle?'
calculated another. Blossom an me
rode from PARKWAY Springs, where
Poggin is with some Of the gang"
Excuse me. Phil. Shore 1 didn't see
you come in. an Boldt never said
nothin'."
1T took you a long time to get here,
but 1 guess that's just as we'll" spoke
up a smooth. suave voice with a ring
in it.
Longstreth's voice Cheseldine's
Here they were-Cheseldine, Phil
kneli. Blossom Kane, Panhandle
bered the names!-all here. the big
men OF Cheseldine's gang. except the
biggest-Poggin. Duane had holed
them. and his sensations Of the mo-
ment deadened sight and sound Of what
was before him. He sank down, con-
e~xultation. then from a less strained
position he peered forth again.
The outlaws were waiting for sup
per. Their conversation might have
been that Of cowboys in camp, ranch
ers at a roundup. Duane listened with
talk that he felt would come. All the
time he watched with the eyes of a
wolf upon its quarry. Blossom Kane
was the lean limbed messenger who
had SO angered Fletcher. Boldt was a
giant in stature. dark. bearded, silent.
Po nH1o C~oskH v,o~ <h1 ~1l >-~a