The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-07-27

, and he,T riding cowboys in a Lame
where all riders were good. They wolllC
mot have owned any but strong, swift
horses. Moreover, it was a districI
where ranchers had suffered beyond al
endurance the greed and brutality oI
outlaws, Duane had simply been SO un-
fortunate as to run right into = lynch
ing party al q time Of all times when
any stranger would be in danger, and
any outlaw put 10 his limit 10 escape
with his life
Duane did not look back again until
he had crossed the ridsy piece OF
ground and had gotten TO the level
road. lie had gained upon his purs uers
When he asceS-takle6 this he tried TO
save his hesss, 10 check a little that
killing salt This horse was 4 inagnif1-
cent animal, big, strong, fast; but his
endurance had never been put TO g
Sr0ellins rest, And that worried Duane
ri1s lie had INSIDE is impossible TO keep
one horse very long n a time. and this
one was an unknown quantity.
Duane had only one plan-the only
plan possible in this case-and that was
10 make the river bottoms. where he
might eiude his purSGeFS in the Willow
fsSeS. Fifteen miles or 50 would bring
Kim 10 the river and This was not a
hopeless distance for any good horse il
not TOO closely pressed. Duane conclud-
cd presently that the cowboys behind
were losing a little in chase because
they were not extending their horses. 1t
was decidedly unusual for such riders
10 save their mounts. Duane pondered
over this, looking back several times TO
see If their horses Were stretched out.
Ihey were not, and the fac, was dis
turblng. Only one reason presented
Itself 10 Duane's conjecturiag, and it
was that with him headed straight on
that road his purSuelrS were satisfied
not TO force the running. He began 20
hope 10 look for a trail or road turn
ing off TO right or left. There was none.
A rough. IneSQuite-doIted and Yucca
splred country extended away on either
side. Duane believed that he would be
compelled TO take 10 this hard going.
one thing was certain-he had TO go
round the village. The river, however,
was on the outskirts OF the village;
and once in the willows, he would be
safe.
Dust-ciouds far ahead caused his
alarm to grow. He watched with his
eyes strained; he hoped to see 3 wagon,
few stray cattle. Shots ana yells be-
mind him attested TO the fact that his
pursuers likewise had seen these new
corners on the scene More than a mile
separated these two parties, yet this
distance did not keep them from soon
understanding each other Duane
waited only 70 see this new factor show
signs OF sudden quick action. and then.
with muttered curse. he spurred his
horse off the road into the brush.
He chose the right side, because the
river lay nearest that way There were
patches Of open sandy ground between
ciumps OF cactus and mesquite, and he
found that despite a ZigZag course he
made better time. It was impossible for
him to locate his pursuers. They would
come together, he decided and take
to his tracks
What. then, was his surprise and dis
may to run out OF a thicket right into a
low ridge or rough, broken rock, irnpos-
sible TO get a horse over. He wheeled to
the left along its base. The sandy
ground gave place to a harder soil,
where his horse did not labor so. Here
the growths of mesquite and cactus be-
came scanter. affording better travel
but poor cover He kept sharp eyes
ahead, and. as he had expected, soon
saw moving dust-clouds and the dark
figures of horses. They We're half
mile away, and swinging obliquely
across the flat, which fact proved that
they had entertained a fair idea of the
country and the fugitive's difficulty
Without an instant's hesitat ton
Duane put his horse to his best efforts,
straight ahead. He had to pass those
men. When this was seemingly made
$50 R1E'S9biO Ny a uCCp WASH lTOIIl winch
ne had to turn, Duane began to feel
cold and sick. Was this the end? AL
ways there had to be an end to an out
laws career. He wanted then to ride
straight at these pursuers But reason
outweghed instinct. He was fleeing
for his life! nevertheless, the strongest
instinct at the time was his desire to
fight
He knew when these three horsemen
saw him, and moment afterward he
lost sight OF them as he got into the
mesquite again. He meant now to try
to reach the road, and pushed his
mount severely, though still saving
MIN for final burst. Rocks, thickets,
ounehes OF cactus, washes-all oper-
ated against his following a straight
line. Almost he lost his bearings, and
finally would have ridden toward his
enemies had not good fortune favored
i1ilr In the matter of an open burned
over stretch of ground
Here he saw both groups Of pursiyers.
one on each side and almost within
gunsnot. Their sharp yells. as m,ict,
as his cruel spurs, drove his horse into
that pace which now meant life or
| death for him. And never had Duane
nesfrode gamer swifter stancher
beast He seemed about to accomplish
the impossible. Fri the dragging sand
| ne was far superior to any horse in
ESsiso IL y, slHu III ILLS sandy open Stretch
/. ne gained enough to spare a little in
the brush beyond. Heated now and
thoroughly terrorized. he kept the pace
through thicketsg that almost tore
Duane from his saddle. Sometime
we!ghty and grim eased eff Duane. III
was going to get out in front! THO
horse had speed, fire, stamina.
Duane dashed out into another open
place dotted by few trees and here
right in his path, within pisto, range
stood lorsenlen waiting. They yelied
they spurred toward him, but did no,
| fire at him.. He turned his horse
faced to the right Only one thing ken,
him from standing his ground to figh,
| it out. He remembered those dansline
| limp figures hanging from the cotton.
| woods. These 1anchers would rattle,
| hang ansoutlaw than do anything. The,
| might draw all his fire ana then can.
!sture him. His horror OF hanging was Sc
gre - as to be all out Of proportion
compared to his gun lighters instinc1
OF self preservation.
| A race began then, dusty, crashins
drive through gray mesquite. Duan,
could scarcely see. he was so blinded
| by singing branches across his eyes
The hollow wind roared in his ears
But they must have been close. Die
they shoot at him? He inag ined h,
/. heard shots. But that might have beer
| the cracking Of dead snags. His LEI