The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1917-01-06

L
the table. he carried 1t out.
'Here. you fellows, go outside and
smoke" he said. "KnelL come In
now. Let's get 1t over"
He returned. sat down, and lighted
a cigar for himself. He put his boot
ed feet on the table.
Duane saw that the room was COM
fortably, even luxuriously furnished.
There must have been good trail,
he thought, else. how could all that
stuff have been packed In there. Then
Knell came in and seated himself
without any Of his chiefs ease. He
seemed preoccupied and, as always,
cold.
"What's wrong. Knell? Why didn't
you get here soonerT queried Long
streth.
'Pogginl We're on the outs again."
"What for? Get 1t out Of your sys-
tenn so we can go on to the new job"
swell, 1t began back ways. l
don't know how long ago-weeks-a
stranger rode into Ord an got down
easy-like as If he owned the place.
He seemed familiar to me. But l
wasn't sure. We looked him over, an
I left, tryin' to place him in my mind"
"What d he look like?"
"Rangy, powerful man, white hair
over his temples, still, hard face,
eyes like knives. The way he packed
his guns, the way he walked an stood
an swung his right hand showed me
what he was. You can't fool me on
the gun-sharp. An he had grand
horse. a big black"
"Tve met your man." said Long
streth.
"Nov exclaimed Knell. It was
wonderful to hear surprise expressed
by this man that did not In the least
show 1t in his strange physiognomy.
Knell laughed a short, grim, hollow
laugh. "Boss, this here big gent drifts
into Ord again an makes up to Jim
Fletcher. Jim-he up an takes this
stranger to be the fly road-agent an
cottons to him. Got money out Of him
sure. And that's what stumps me
more. What's this mans game? I hap
pen to know, boss, that he couldn't
have held up No. g."
slow do you known" demanded
Longstreth.
because did the Job myself"
A dark and stormy passion clouded
the chiefs face.
"Knell, you're incorrigible. You're
unreliable. Another break like that
queers you with me. Did you tell
Poggin"
eyes. Thets one reason we fell
out. He raved. I thought he was
goin' to kill me. Several of the boys
rode over from Ord, an one Of them
went to Poggin an says Jim Fletcher
has a new man for the gang. Jim an
Poggin always hit 1t up together. So
until I got on the deal Jim's pard
was already in the gang, without
Poggin or you ever seem him. Then
1 got to figurin' hard. Just where i
ever seen that chap? dug up lot
of old papers from my kit an went
over them. Letters, pictures, clip.
pins, an all that. I guess I had a
pretty good notion what / was lookin'
for an who I wanted to make sure of.
At last I found It. An I knew my
man. But didn't spring 1t on Poggin.
sent Blossom over to Ord with
message calculated to make Jim hump.
Poggin got sore, said he'd walt for
Jim, an I could come over here to
see you about the new job. He'd
meet me in Ord"
Knell had spoken hurrledly and low,
now and then with passion. His pale
eyes glinted like fire In ice. and now
his voice fell to, a whisper.
"Who do you think Fletcher's new
| man is?"
"Who" demanded Longstreth.
"Buck Duanep
Down came Longstreth's boots with
crash. then his body grew rigid.
"That Nueces outlaw? That two
shot ace-of-spades gun-thrower who
killed Bland, Alloway-" with more
feeling than the apparent circum-
stance demanded.
"Yes; and Hardin, the best one OF
the Rim Rock fellows--Buck Duanew
Longstreth was so CHASTITY white
now that his black mustache seemed
outlined against chalk. He eyed his
grim lieutenant. They understood
each other without more words. 1t
was enough that Buck Duane was
there In the Big Bend. Longstreth
rose presently and reached for a flask,
from which he drank, then offered 1t
to Knell. He waved 1t aside.
"Knell," began the chief, slowly, as
he wiped his lips, II gathered you
have some grudge against this Buck
Duane"
eyes"
swell, don't be $500 fool now and
do what Poggin or almost any Of you
men would-don't meet this Buck
Duane. I've reason to believe he's
Texas- Ranger now"
"The hell you sayr~ exclaimed
Knell. M
ayes. Go to Ord ana give Jim
Fletcher q hunch. Hen get Pogsin.
and they'll az even Buck Duane" .
"All right. TIL do my best. But Il
Z run into Duane"
Don't run into himi" Lonsstrsth's