The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-10-19

home. How strange, yet how real! His
heart beat fast. Had so many, many
years passed? Familiar yet how strange
1t was, n all seemed magnified.
They carried him in, these ranger
comrades, and laid him down. and lift
ed his head upon pillows. The house
was still, though full of people. Du-
ane,s gaze sought he open door.
Some entered-a all girl in
white, with dark, wet eyes and a light
upon her face: She was leading an old
lady, gray haired, austere faced, SOM
Der and sad. His mother! She was
feeble, but she walked erect. III was
pale, shaking, yet maintained her dig
nifty.
The some n in white uttered a low
cry and knelt by Duane's bed. His
mother flung wide her arms with a
strange gesture.
This man! They've not brought back
my boy. This mans his father! Where
is my soa My son-oh, my son!"
When Duane grew stronger it was a
pleasure to lie by the west window and
watch Uncle jim whittle his stick and
listen to his talk. The old man was
broken now. He told many interesting
things about people Duane had known
people who a grown up and mar
RED, failed, succeeded, gone away, and
cled. But 1t vas hard to keep Uncle
Jim Off the subject Of uns. outlaws,
tights. He could not seem to divine
how mention Of these things hurt Du-
ane. Uncle Jim was childish now, and
he had a great pride in his nephew. He
wanted to hear of all of Duane's exile.
And II there was one thing more thar
another that pleased him it was to talk
about the bullets which Duane carried
in his body.
Five bullets, amt it?" he asked, for
the Tooth time. Five in hat last
scrap! By gum! And you had six be-
fore?"
Yes, uncle" replied Duane.
Five and six. That makes II. BY
gum! A mans a man, to carry all that
lead. But, Buck, you could carry more.
There's hat niger Edwards, right
here in Wellston. He's got a ton Of
bullets in him. Doesn't seem to mine
them none. And there's Cole Miller.
I've seen him. Been a bad man in his
day. They say he packs % bullets.
But he's bigger than you-got more
flesh. Funny, wasn't it. Buck,
about the doctor only bein' able to cut
one bullet out Of you-that one in your
breast bone? 1t was a Al caliber, an
unusual cartridge. I saw it, and I
n 1t. but Miss Longstreth wouldn't
part with it. Buck, there was a bullet
left In one Of Poggin's guns, and that
bullet was the same kind as the n
cut out of you. By gum! Boy, it'd
have killed you If it'd stayed there"
1T would indeed, uncle" replied
Duane, and the old, haunting, somber
mood returned.
But Duane was not often at the mer-
cy OF childish old hero worshiping I'm
Gle Jim. Miss Longstreth was the only
who seemed to divine Duane's
gloomy mood, M when she was with
him she warded off all suggestion.
One afternoon, while she was there
at the west window, a message came
for him. They it together:
You have saved b ranger service
to the Lone star state.-MacNelly."
Ray knelt beside him at the window.
and he believed she meant to speak then
of the thing they had stunned. Her
face was still white, but sweeter now,
warm with rich life beneath the mar
BILE; and her dark eyes were still in
tent, still haunted by shadows, but no
longer tragic.
I'm glad for MacNelly's sake as well
as the states" said Duane.
n made no reply to that and
seemed to be thinking deeply. Duane
shrank a little.
The pain Is It any worse today?"
she asked, instantly.
No; it's the same. It will always
know. But I don't mind a little PAIN
"Then-it's the old mood-the fear?"
she whispered. Tell me-"
Yes. 1t haunts me. I'll be well soon
able to go III Then that-that hell
will come back!"
mo, not" h said, with emotion.
Some drunken cowboy, some fool
with a gun, will hunt me out in every
town, wherever I CO." he went on, mis-
erably. Buck Duane! To bill Buck
Duane!"
flush! Don't speak SO. Listen. You
remember that day IN Val Verde.
when / came to you-plead with you
to meet Poggin? Oh, that was a
terrible hour for me. Blu it showed me
the truth. l saw the struggle between
passion to kill and your love for
me. l could have saved you then had
l known what I know now. Now I
understand that-that thing which
haunts you. But you'll never have to
draw again. You'll never have to kill
another man thank Cod"
Like a drowning man he would have
grasped at straws, but he could no
voice his passionate query.
She put tender arms around his neck.
Because you'll have me with you al
h replied. Because always 1
be between you n that-that
thing"
It seemed with the spoken thought
assurance Of her power came
to her. Duane realized instantly that
he was in the arms Of a stronger
woman than h who had plead with
that fatal day.
"Well-wa'l be married and leave
Texas" she said, softly, with the red
blood rising rich and dark in her
cheeks.
RAY"
Yes we will, though you're laggard
in asking me, sir
But, dear-suppose," he replied
huskiiy, suppose there might be-be
c~hildren--a boy. "A boy with his
fathers blood!"
Il pray God there will be. I do not
fear what YOU fear. But even so-he,l
be a my blood.
Duane felt the storm rise and break
in him. And his terror was that Of
JOY quelling fear. This shining glory
OF love in this woman's eyes made him
as q child. How could she love
could she SO brayely face &
future with him? Yet she held him
in her arms. twining her hands round
his neck, and pressing close to him.
He faith and love and beauty-these
she meant to throw between him and
MI that terrible pastlThey were her
power. n she meant t. use them all
He dared not think OF accepting her
aacrifice.