The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1917-11-24
CHAPTER ".

Ine Duhnc dragged the tWO
horses up the last ascent OF an exceed.
ingly rough trail and found himself on
top of the Rim Rock, with a beautiful,
green valley at his feet, the yellow,
sluggish Rio Grande shining in the
sun, and the great, wild mountainous
barren Of Mexico stretching to the
south.
No wonder outlaws were safe In that
wild REFUGEE Duane had spent the last
two days climbing the toughest and
most difficult trail he had ever seen.
From the looks Of the descent he
imagined the worst part of his travel
was yet to come.
The trail proved to be the kind that
could not be descended slowly. He
kept lodging rocks which his horses
loosed behind him. And In a short
time he reached and rode down the
green retreat, wondering what would
be his reception.
The valley was much larger than II
had appeared from the high elevation.
Well watered, green with grass and
tree, and farmed evidently by good
hands. II gave Duane q considerable
surprise. Horses and cattle were ev-
erywhere. Every clump of cotton
woods surrounded a small adobe house.
Duane saw Mexicans working in the
fields and horsemen going to and fro.
Presently he passed a house bigger
than the others. with a porch attached.
A woman, young and pretty, he
thought, watched him from a door. No
one else appeared to notice him.
Presently the trail widened into a
road, and that into a kind Of square
lined by a number Of adobe and log
buildings OF rudest structure. Within
sight were horses, dogs. a couple OF
steers, Mexican women with children,
and 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 evil
IDENTIFY was a store and saloon, and
voices.
AS Duane refined to a halt one OF the
loungers In the shade rose with a loud
exclamation
"Bust me II tibet amt Luke's hossl"
The others accorded their interest,
IL not assent, by rising to advance
toward Duane.
'How about 1t, 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,
then" laughed another, "fer Bosomer's
nose is shore plain or the landscape"
These men lined up before Duane,
and as he coolly regarded them he
thought they could have been recog-
nized anywhere as desperadoes. The
man called Bosomer, who had stepped
forward, had a forbidding face, which
showed yellow eyes, an enormous nose.
and a skin the color OF dust, with a
thatch of sandy hair.
stranger, who are you an where
in the HI did you git thet bay hoss7"
he demanded. His yellow eyes took in
Stevens horse, then the weapons hung
on the saddle, and finally turned their
glinting, hard light upward TO Duane.
Duane did not like the tone In which
he had been addressed, and he re-
mained silent. Something leaped In
side of him and made his breast feel
tight. He recognized 1t as that strange
emotion which had shot through him
often of late, and which had decided
him to go out to the meeting with
Balm. Only now II was different, and
powerful.
stranger, who are your" asked 1.
other man. somewhat more civilly.
MY names Duane" replied Duane,
CURLY.
"An' how'd you come by the hossf'
Duane answered briefly, and his
words were followed by a short silence,
during which the men looked at him..
Bosomer began to twist the ends OF
his beard.
"Reckon he's dead, all right, or no
body'd hev his boss an guns" pres
emily said Euchre.
mister Duane" began Bosomer, in
low, singing tones, Il happen to be
Luke Stevens side pardner."
Duane looked him over, from dusty.
boots to his slouchy SON.
brero. That look seemed TO infiame
Bosomer.
San l want the boss an them guns"
he shouted.
"You or anybody else can have them.
for all l care. / just fetched them In.
But the pack is mine" replied
Duane. "And. say, l befriended your
pard. II you can't use a civil tongue
you'd better cinch II"
"Civil2 Haw. haw" rejoined the
outlaw. 81 amt takin' your wordl
sayyy tibet? An / was Luke's pardF'
with that Bosomer wheeled, and,
pushing bis companions aside. ne