The Elbert County tribune., 1917-01-12

ed. Longstreth entered, turned up the
light. and taking a box of cigars from
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 a 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.
whats wrong. Knell7 Why didn't
you get here sooner?" queried Long
streth.
"PogginI We're on the outs again."
"Nyhat for? Get 1t out of your sys-
TEN so we can go on to the new job"
"WeIl. 1t began back a ways. 1
don't know how long ago-weeks-a
stranger rode into Ord an got down
ensy-like as If he owned the place.
He seemed familiar to me. But 1
wasn't sure We looked him over, an
1 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 a grand
horse. big black"
1--WE met your man." said Long
streth.
mo" exclaimed Knell. 1t was
wonderful to hear surprise expressed
by this man that did not in the least
show it In his strange physiognomy.
Knell laughed n 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? hap
pen to know. boss, that he couldn't
have held up No g."
"How do you know?" 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. Thet's one reason we fell
out. He raved. 1 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
Poggln always hit 1t up together. So
until l got on the deal Jim's pard
was already in the gang, without
Poggln or you ever seein' him. Then
/ got to figurin' hard. Just where l
ever seen that chap? l dug up lot
of old papers from my kit an went
over them. Letters, pictures, clip
pins, an all that. / guess I had
pretty good notion what I was lookin'
for an who wanted to make sure of.
At last found it. An 1 knew my
man. But didn't spring 1t on Poggin.
1 sent Blossom over to Ord with a
message calculated to make Jim hump.
Poggin got sore, said he'd wait for
see you about the new job. He'd
meet me in Ord"
knell had spoken hurriedly and low,
now and then with passion. His pale
eyes glinted like fire in ice, and now
his voice fell to whisper.
'Who do you think Fletcher's new
man ISL"
"Who7" demanded Longstreth.
Buck Duanel"
Down came Longstreth's boots with
a crash. then his body grew rigid.
THAT Nueces outlaw? That two
shot ace-of-spades gun-thrower who
killed Bland. Alloway-T with more
feeling than the apparent circum-
stance demanded.
Yes: and Hardin, the best one of
the Rim Rock fellows-Buck Duane -
Longstreth was so ghastly 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 it
to Knell. He waved it aside.
''Knell," began the chief. slowly, as
he wiped his lips, 81 gathered you
have some grudge against this Buck
Duane"
"Yes.'
"Well, don't be - 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 a
Texas Ranger now."