The Huttig news., 1916-12-02
Buck Ouane!!"

and never stopped. It did not seem steep. His feet might have had eyes. He surmounted the wall, and, looking down into the ebony gulf pierced by one point of light, he lifted menac- ing arm and shook It. Then he strode on, and did not falter till he reached the huge shelving cliffs Here he lost the trail; there was none but he re- membered the shapes the points, the notches of rock above. Before he reached the ruins of splintered ram- parts and jumbles of broken walls the moon topped the eastern slope of the mountain, and the mystifying black ness he had dreaded changed to magic silver light. It seemed as light as day. only soft, mellow, and the air held transparent sheen. He ran up the bare ridges and down the smooth slopes. and, like goat, jumped from rock to rock. In this light he knew his way, and lost no time looking for trail He crossed the divide, and then had all downhill before him. Swiftly he descended, almost always sure of his
 
 remember having studied them in the ascent, yet here they were, even in changed light, familiar to his sight. What he had once seen was pictured on his mind. And, true as deer striking for home, he reached the can- yon where he had left his horse. Bull let was quickly and easily found Duane threw on the saddle and pack einehed them tight, and resumed the descent
 Hours passed as moments. Duane was equal to his great opportunity But he could not quell that self i'm him which reached back over the. lapse of lonely soaring years and found the boy in him. Duane knew he was not just right in part of his mind. Small wonder that he was not insane, he thought! He tramped on downward his marvellous faculty for covering rough ground and holding to the true courses never before even in flight so keen and acute. Yet all the time q spirit was keeping step with him.. Thought of Ray Longstreth as he had left her made him weak. He. saw her white face, with It's sweet, sad lips and the dark eyes SC tender. and tragic.
 The moon sloped to the west. Shad.. ows of trees and crags now crossed to the other side of him. The stars; dimmed. Then he was out of the rocks. with the dim trail pale at his feet Mounting Bullet. he made short work of the long slope and the foothills andl the rolling land leading down to Ordn The little outlaw camp, with Its; shacks and cabins and row of houses; lay silent and dark under the paling moon. Duane passed by on the lower trail, headed into the road, and put Bullet to a gallop. He watched the. dying moon, the waning stars, and the east. He had time to spare. so hs. saved the horse. Knell would be leav- ing the rendezvous about the time Duane turned back toward Ord. Be tween noon and sunset they would meet.
 The night wore on. The moon sank behind low mountains i'll the wesL The 9."iS piishtehcu Aoi hlh.P. then faded. Gray gloom enveloped the world, thickened, lay like smoke over the road. Then shade by shade it frightened, until through the transpar- ent obscurity shone dim light.
 Duane reached Bradford bef,.rr- {, dawn. He dismounted some distance from the tracks, tied his horse. and then crossed over to the station. He heard the clicking of the telegraph, instrument, and it thrilled him, Am operator sat inside reading. When Duane tapped on the window he look ed up with startled glance, then went swiftly to unlock the door.
 Hello. Give me paper and pencil. Quick" whispered Duane.
 With trembling hands the operator. complied. Duane wrote out tue ines- sage he had carefully composed.
 "Send this-repeat it to make sure then keep mun. I'll see you again.. Good-by."
 The operator stared, but did not. speak word.
 Duane left as stealthily and swiftly as he had come He walked his horse couple of miles back on the road4 and then rested him till break of day.
 
 tContinued Next Week.J