Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-06-14
CHAPTER Nv (contlnucd)

could not be descended slowly. He
kept lodging rocks which his horses
loosed behind him. And in a short
time he reached he valley. entering
the apex of the wedge. a stream of
clean water tumbl"d out of the rocks
here. and most of it ran into irrigation
bitches. His horses drank thirstily
And he drank with that fullncss and
giatefulncss common TO the desert
traveller finding sweet water. Then he
mounted II rode down the valley,
wondering what would be his reception.
The valley WAS much larger than it
had appeared from the high elevation.
Well watered, green with grass and
tree, AMI iarmcd evidently by good
hands, it gave Duane IL considerable
surprise. Horses and cattle were ev-
erywhere. Every clump of cottonwoods
surrounded a small adobe house. Duane
saw MeNicans working in the fields
and horsemen going to and fro. Pres
emily he passed Il house bigger than the
an, young and pretty he thought.
watched him from Il door. No one else
appeared to notice him.
Presently the trail widened into a
road, and that into u kind of square
lined by a umb of adobe and log
buildings of rudest structure. Within
sight We're horses, dogs, a couple of
steers. Mexican Wona with children.
n White men. all of whom appeared
to be doing nothing. His advent Gre
ated no interest until he rode up to
the white men. who were lolling in the
shade of a house. This place evidently
was a store and saloon, and from the
inside calne a lazy hum of voices.
AS Duane refined to a halt, one of the
loungers in the shade rose with q loud
exclamation:
Bust me. If tibet amt Luke's hoss."
FNhn -tlac, @,1 .1 at :x~.@-A &
not assent. by rising to advance toward
Duane.
How about it, Euchre? Amt tibet
Luke's bay"" queried the first man.
Plain as your nose" replied the fell
low called Euchre.
There amt no doubt about tibet,
Them" laughed another, fer Bosomer's
nose is shore plain on the landscape.
These men lined up before Duane
and. as he cody regarded them, he
thought they could have been recog-
nized anywhere as desreradoes. The
forward. had a forbidding face which
showed yellow eyes. an enormou nose.
n a skin the color of dust, with a
thatch of sandy hair.
Stranger. who are you-an' where
in the hell did You git tibet bay hoss?"
in Stevens horse, then the weapon
hung on the saddle. and finally turned
their glinting. hare light upward to
Duane.
Duane did not like the tone in which
he had been addressed. and lie re-
manned silent. AT least half his mimi
seemed busy with curious interest in
regard to something that leaped in
side him and made his breast feel light.
He recognized it as that strange eno-
ton which a shot through HIM often
of late. and which had decided him 10
orr ryyt tn tn, vNNnaNt~r 80 49, ,-t-.
now it was different. more powerful.
stranger, who are YOU" asked an
other man. somewhat more Civi!!y.
My names Duane" replied Duane
curtly.
An how'd YOU con.c by the boss"
Duane answered briefly, ard his
words We're followed by a short silence.
during which the men looked at HIM.
Bosomer began to twist the enas of his
beard.
Reckon he's dead. all right, or no.
body'd hev his boss al guns" present.
ly seid Euchre.
Mister N-ane." began Bosomer. in
low, singing tones. Il happen to be
Luk Stevens side p%ardner.'
Duane looked him over. from dusty,
worn out boots to his slouchy SOM
brero. That loo seemed to inflame
An l want the boss an them guns"
he shouted.
You or anybody else can have them.
for all l care. l just fetched them in.
B.t the pack Is mine.' replied Duane.
And say. l b%efriended your pard. II
Nou can't use q civil tongue, you'd bet.
Ter cinch it."
Civil? Haw, haw!" rejoined the out
law. II don't know you. How do eve,
know you didn't plug Stevens, and
stole his boss. an jest happened to
stumble down here"
SVnNSvv h0u 70 tn foln vn1, ~rx~~S AN~-AS-
ALL" replied Duane. sharply.
=" -! l amt takin' your
word! Savvy tibet? An I was Luke's
pard!"
With that Bosomer wheeled and
pushing. his companions aside. he
stamped into the saloon, where his
voice broke out in a roar.
Duane dismounted and threw his
birdie.
stranger. Bosomer is shore hot
headed" said the Liam Euchre. He did
no appear unfriendly. nor were the
others hostile.
At this juncture several more out
laws crowded out Of the door. and the
one III the lead was tall man Of stall
wart physique. His manner pro-
claimed him a leader. He had a long
face. q flaming red beard. and clear.
scrutiny upon Duane. He was not a
Texan: in truth, Duane did not recog-
nize one Of these outlaws as native to
aTm Bland" said the tail man. au-
thorttatively. Who're you and what
r. you doing here?"
Duane looked at Bland as he had at
the others. This outlaw chief appeared
% be reasonable, IL he was not court
oons. Duane told his story again, this
time q little more in detail.
81 believe yop."s replied Bland. at
once. Think I know when q fellow
- lying" y