Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-08-30

iiI OdIIS or AlCSs showed KIM
ana red.
Duane soon reached the shady out
skirts of Fairiale. and entered tn,
town with mingled feelings of curios-
NY eaSeNness II expectation. The
street he rode down was a solid row OF
saloons, resorts, hotels. Saddled horses
stood hitched all along the sidewalk
in two long lines. with a blackboard
and team here and there breaking the
continuity. This block WAS busy anG
noisy.
From all outside appearances Fair
GALE was no different from other from
tier towns, and nuane's expectations
were scarcely realized. AS the after
noon was waning he halted at u little
inn. A boy took charge of his horse.
Duane questioned the lad about Fair
dale and gradually drew to the subject
most in mind.
Colonel Longstreth has a big outfit.
en-
Reckon he has replied the lad.
"poan know how many cowboys.
They're always comm and goin'. L
ain t acquainted with half of them
Much movement of stock these
days"
stocks always movin'." he replied,
with a queer look.
"Rustlers?"
But he did no. follow up that look
with the affirmative Duane expected.
Lively place. | hear-Fairdaie is?"
Amt so lively as Sanderson. but
its bigger
Yes. / heard it was. Fellow down
there was talking about two cowboys
Who We're arrested
Sure. | heered all about that. Joe
Bean an Brick Hisgins-they belong
heah but they amt heah much. Long
streth's boys"
Duane did not want to appear over
lhlulsltiNe. so he turned the talk into
other channels.
After getting supper Duane Strolled
up and down the main street. When
~arkne set in he went into a hotel,
fought cigars sat around and watched.
Then he passed out and Went into the
next place. This was of rough crude
exterior, but the inside was oompara-
llshts. 1T was full Of men coming and
solng-a dusty booted crowd that
smelled of horses and smoke. Duane
sat down for a while. with wide eyes
and open ears. Then he hunted up the
tar, where most of the guests had been
or We're soinS. He found a great square
room lighted by six huge lamps, a bar
one side, and all the floor space
taken up by tables and chairs. This
was the only gambling place of any
size in southern Texas in which he had
noted the absence of MeXicans. There
was some card playing going on at this
Duane stayed in there for a
and knew that strangers were
common in Fairdale to be conspic-
Then he returned to the inn
where he had engaged a room.
Duane sat down on the steps of the
little restaurant. Two men We're
.conNerslng inside, and they had not
Duane.
Laramie, what's the strangers
name" asked n
He didn't say" replied the other.
Struck me a little odd, he did. No cat
Lleman. him. How'd you size him?"
We'll. like one of them cool, easy.
aulet Texans who's been lookin' for a
man for years-to kill him when he
found him"
Right you are. Laramie; and. be-
.ween o an me. 1 hope he's lookin'
Tor Long"
SSH" interrupted Laramie. You
be half drunk. to go talkin' that
Thereafter they conversed in too low
tone for Duane to hear, and presently
.aramle's visitor left. Duane went in
;iae and. making himself agreeable. be-
to ask casual questions about Fair
Tale. Laramie was not communicative.
Duane went to his room in a thought
.ul frame Of mind. Had Laramie's Wis !
tor meant he hoped some one had
to kill Longstreth? Duane in
erred just that from the interrupted
There was something wrong
'elt it.. And he felt also. if there was
l crooked n dangerous man. it was
his Floyd Lawson. The innkeeper
-aramie would he worth c%ultivating.
last in Duane's thoughts thai
hight was Miss Longstreth. He could
lot help thinking of her-how strangely
meeting With her had affected him.
t made him remember that long past
lime When girls had been a part of his
life. What a sad and dark mo endless
old lay between that past and the
He had no right even to
]ream of a beautiful woman like Ray
.ongstreth. That conviction, however.
I'D not dispel her: indeed, it seemed
to make her grow more fas-
Duane grew conscious of a
unaccountable hunger. a some
hing that was like a pang in his breast.
Next Cay he lounged about the inn. i
did not make any overtures TO the
aciturn proprietor. Duane had no need
If hurry now. He contented himself
he close of day he decided Fairdale
vas what MacNelly had claimed it to
De. and that he was on the track of an
lnuSual adventure. The following day
ne spent in much the same way, though
On n occasion he told Laramie he
vas looking for a man. The %innkeeper
rev n little less furtive INC reticent
that. He would answer casual
and it did not take Duane long
o learn that Laramie had seen better
he vas now broken. bitter
INC hard. Some had wronged him.
Several days passed. Duane did not
succeed in getting any closer to Lara
Mo hnf h0 fn,,~1 tho Sl1n,p mn t1,N 1-.
1ers and in front of the stores unsus-
oicious n willing to talk. 1t did not
AXE him long to find out that Fair
stood parallel with Huntsville for
gambling, drinking and fighting. The
street was always lined with dusty.