The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1917-03-01

dodge, wher'd you hide the stuhi
| reckon | git in on this deal, seem
| STAYED or Guthrie"
Duane played his part. Here w"s
his opportunity, and like n tiger AFTER
prey he seized Il. First he c"oIIy
eyed the outlaw and then disclaimer
any knowledge whatever of the trnlH-
robbery other than Fletcher had heard
himself. Then ut Fletchcr's persist
cncc and admiration and Increasing
show of frlendlincSs he laughed oc'
caslonully and allowed himself 10
swell with pride, though stiIl dohlli =
Later, when Duane started UP an
nnnncing his intention To get his morse
and make for camp out in the brush
| Fletcher seemed grievously offended
"Why don't you stay vita mef V
got n comfortable 'dohc over here
Didn't | stick 10y you when Guthrie
nm his bunch come up? Supposin' l
hcdn't showed down a cool hand 10
him? You'd be swlngin' somewheres
now. l tell you. Dodge, 1t amt
square"
"Tll square It. I pay my debts
replied Duane. 'But | can't put up
here all night. II I belonged TO the
gang Il d be different"
"What gangf" asked Fletcher, blunt
~.
"Why. Chescldine's."
Fletcher's beard nodded rs his Jaw
dropped.
Duane laughed. ~ run into him
the other day. Knowcd him on sight.
Sure, he's the king-pin rustler. when
he seer me an asked me Vt ut reason
! had for bein' on earth or some such
like-why, ! up an told him.
Fletcher appeared staggered.
"Who in ALFRED hell air you talkin'
about?"
Didn't | tell you once? Chcscldinc.
He calls himself Longstreth over
there"
All Of rletcher's face not covered
by hair turned u dirty white.
"Cheseld!ne - Longstreth he
whispered. hoarsely. God Almighty !
You braced the" Then a remarkable
transformation came ov,r the outlaw.
He gulped he Strengthened his face;
he controlled his agitation. But he
could not send the healthy brown
back TO his face. Duane, watching this
rude man, marveled ut the chang. In
him, the sudden checking movement,
the proof Of Il wonderful fear and
loyalty. 1t all meant Cheseldine, q
master Of men!
"Who air youf" querled Fletcher, in
a queer, strained voice.
"You gave me n handle, didn't you
Dodge. Thet's as good rs any. Shore
It hits me hard. Jim, I've been pretty
lonely for years, an I'm gettin' in
need Of pals. Think It over, will youi
See you manana."
The outlaw watched Duane go of
after his horse, watched him rs he re-
turned to the tavern, watched him
ride out in the darkness-all without
a word.
Duane left the town. threaded a
quiet passage through cactus and mes
quite To n spot he had marked before
and passed the night. His mind was
so full that he found sleep aloof
Luck at last was playing his game
He sensed the first slow heave OF O
mighty crisis. The end, always haunt
ing, had to be sternly blotted from
thought. 1t was the approach tina
needed all his mind.
Late In the morning he returned 4
Ord. If Jim Fletcher tried 10 disguise
his surprise, the effort was n failure
Certainly he had not expected to SCI
Duane again. Duane allowed himsel
a little freedom with Fletcher, an ut
titude hitherto lacking.
That afternoon n hOrScmnn rode II
from Bradford, an outlnw evident,
well known and liked by his fellows
! and Duane heard him say, before h,
could possibly have been told IN,
trnin-robber was In Ord, that the los.
of money In the hold-up was Sigh,
, Like n flash Duane saw the luck O
this report. lie pretended not to hav,
, heard.
In the early twilight nj an opportun,
moment he called Fletcher to him
. and, linking his arm within the out
laws. he drew him of In n stroll I,
, n log bridge spanning u little gully
/, Here after gazing around. he took gu
a roll of bills, spread II out, split I
equally, and without n word handle,
one half 10 Fletcher. With clums.
fingers Fletcher ran through the roll
give hundred" he exclaimed
dodge, thet's damn handsome Of you
considerln' the job wasn't"
"Considerin' nothln'," i~nterruptc,
Duane. "l'm maxim no reference L
Il job here or there. You did me
good turn. l split my pile. II the
doesn't make us pards, good turn
an money amt no use In this couu
try"
; Fletcher N won.
The W men spend much time &c
gether. Duane made up n short nctI
, tious story about himself that salts
fled the outlaw, only Il drew forth