The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1916-10-27

Buck and Jennie are sitting in the
wilderness cabin discussing their fu
ture.
"Tve been brought up in Texas.
remember what q hard lot the men Of
my family had. But poor as they
were, they had roof over their heads
a hearth with a fire, warm bed
somebody to love them. And you
Duane-,oh, my God! What must your
lie be? You must ride and hide and
watch eternally."
She ended with a sob and dropped
her head on her knees. Duane was
amazed, deeply touched.
"N1y girl thank you for that thought
O me-" he said, with tremor in his
voics. "You don't know how much
Fiat means to me-
She raised her face and it was tear
stained, eloquent, beautiful.
'I've heard tell-the best of men
go to the bad out there. You won't.
Promise me you won't. 1 never
knew any man-like you. live
may ncNtl SSC cdtli OthCt ctttit oiS~A
to-day. I'll never forget you. I'll pray
for you. and I'll never give up trying
toto do something. Don't despair.
It's never too late. 1t was my hope
that kept me alive-out there at
Bland's-before you rame. / was only
a poor weak girl. But If could hope
so can you. Stay away from men.
Be lone wolf. Fight for your life.
Stick out your exile-and maybe
some day"
Then she lost her voice. Duane
cIaspeG her hand and with feeling as
deep as hers promised to remember
her words. In her despair for him sne
had spoken wisdom-pointed out the
only cowse.
Duan7's vigilance, momentarlly
broken by emotion, had no sooner re-
assertef itself than he discovered the
bay hTrse, the one Jennie rode, had
brOket his halter and gone Off. Inc
soft ct earth had deadened the sound
of his hoofs. His tracks were plain
in TIE mud.
Diane did not want to leave Jennie
alosre in the cabin so near the road.
Sc he put her on his horse and BABE
hiss follow. The rain had ceased Tor
TIE time being, though evidently the
Storm was not yet over. The tracks
ned up a wash to wide fiat where
mesquite, prickly pear, and thorn-bush
grew so thickly that Jennie could not
ride into it. He could not expect her
to scramble quickly through that brake
on foot. Therefore he decided to risk
leaving her at the edge of the thicker
and go in alone.
AS he went In sound startled him.
Was it the breaking of a branch ne
had stepped on or thrust aside? lie
heard the impatient pound OF his
horses hoofs. Then all was quiet.
Still he listened, Tot wholly satisfied.
He was never satisfied in regard to
safety; he kneA too well that there
never could be safety for him in this
country. Certain he was now that
some kind OF danger threatened.
Suddenly there came an unmistak-
lbIe thumr of horses hoofs off some
where to tsle fore. Then scream rent
The air. 1t ended abruptly. Duane
eaped f.rward, tore his way through
the thcfny brake. He heard Jennie
Try again---an appealing call quickly
1ushed. j. seemed more to his right,
Ind he plunged that way. He burst
nt1 d glade where smoldering ire
lEd ground covered with footprints
md tracks showed that campers had
ately been. Rushing across this, he
,roke his passage out to the open.
But he was too late. His horse had
Jennie was gone. There
we're no riders in sight. There was no
'ound. There was a heavy trail OF
lorses going north. Jennie had been
nrried off-probably by outlaws.
juane realized that pursuit was out
( the question-that Jennie was lost.