The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1917-01-11

e over his temples, still. hard face
. eyes Ike knives. The way lie packed
, his guns. the way he walked an stood
? an swung his right hand showed me
J what he was. You can't fool me on
the gun-sharp An he had grand
horse. big black"
1--WE met your man" said Long
] streth.
"Now exclaimed Knell. It was
wonderful 10 hear surprise expressed
by this man that did not IN the least
show Il In his strange physiognomy
lSnell laughed short, grim, hollow
laugh. Boss this here big gent drifts
into Ord again an makes up 20 Jim
Fletcher Jim--he up an takes this
stranger TO be the lily rond-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."
'How do you known" demanded
L0ngstrcth.
"Becnuse I did the Job myself"
dark and stormy passion cIouded
the chiefs fnce
"Kncll. you're incorrlglble. You're
unreliable. Another brenk Ike that
queers you with me. Did you tell
PogginT
Eyes. Thcts one reason we fell
out He rayed. I thought he was
goIn' to kin me. Several of the boys
| rode over from Ord an one Of them
went to Poggin an says Jim Fletcher
| has n new man for the gang. Jim an
| Poggin always hit it up together. SO
until ] got on the deal inns pard
| was already In the gang without
Poggln or you ever seem him. Then
I got to fgurin' hard. Just where |
ever seen that chap? | dug up a lot |
Of old papers from my kit an went |
over them. Letters, pictures, clip |
pins, an all that. | guess l had a
pretty good notion what | was lOOkin'
for I'M who | wanted to make sure OF. |
AT last / found It. An | knew my
man. But didn't spring II on Poggln.
| sent Blossom over to Ord with
message calculated to make Jim hump.
Poggin got sore, said he'd walt for
Jim, an ] could come over here to
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 glluted like fire In ice, and now
his voice fell to a whisper
"Who do you think Fletcher's new
man tsp
"WhoY demanded Longstreth.
Buck Duanew
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-2" with more
feeling than the apparent clrcum-
stnnce demanded.
YES; and Hardin, the best one of
the Rim Rock fellows-Buck Duaner'
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. II
was enough that Buck Duane was
there in the Big Bend Longstreth
rose presently and reached for flask.
from which he drank, then offered It
to Knel. He waved II aside.
"Knell," began the chief, slowly, as
he wiped his lips. 81 gathered you {
have some grudge against this Buck I
Duane" {
Eyes. \
"well don't be a --- fool now and J
10 whit Poggin or almost any of you Q
men would-don't meet this Buck
Duane, I've reason to believe he's n
Texas Ranger now"
"rhe hell you say" exclaimed
Enell.
yes. Go to Ord and give Jim
Fletcher bunch. He'll get Poggin,
and they'll fix even Buck Duane"
"All right I'll do my best. But II
run Into Duane"
Don't run into him." Longstreths
voice tairly rang with the force Of
rs passion and command. He wiped II
his face, drank ugain from the flask,
ant down, resumed his smoking, and,
drawing a paper from his vest pocket, n
he began TO study It. y
"wenl TN glad that's settled he A
'aid. evidently referring to the Duane N
natter. Now for the new job. This
: October the eighteenth. On or be- IN
ore the twenty-hfth there will he N
,hlpment OF gold reach the Rancher's
Bank of Val Verde. After you return \
o Ord give Poggin these orders. Keep
he gang quiet You. poggln, Kane +
Fletcher Panhandle Smith, and BOldt
o be IN on the secret and the job. No :
,ody else Youll leave ord on the
ride cross country by the
rail till you get within sight OF Mer-
err. Iss a hundred miles from Brad
ord to Val Yerde-about the same h
rom Ord. Time your travel to get \
gu near Val Verde ON the morning
{ the twenty-sixth. You won't have
o more than trot your horses. At >,
wo o'clock In the aftc-~oOn, sharp. -,
ide Into town and up TO the Ranch :,
RS Bank. Val Yerde's pretty big -
own. Never been any hold-ups there. -
own feels safe. Make II clean, -
asst, daylight job That's all. Have y,
GU got the detalls?" a,
Knell did not even ask for the dates ~
gain. ."
Suppose Poggin or me might be in
etained7" he asked. n,
Longstreth bent a dark glance upon t,y
is lieutenant m,
"YOu never can tell what ii come
n" continued Knell am do my | 10