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

viii ride over here any day.
they're friendly I'll light a FIRE on tn
hill there. say three nights from 10
night II you don't see It tibet nigh
you hit the trail m do what ! can
jim Fletcher sticks 10 his pals. *
hong. Dodge"
He left Duane IN a quandary. Thi'
news was black. AZ the moment
Duane did not know which way q
turn. but certainly he had no idet
OF going back to Bradford. Friction
between the two great lieutenants OF
Cheseldinel Generally such matters
were settled with guns, Duane gath
cred encouragement even from disas
Ter. II Knell knew anything II was
that this stranger IN Ord. this new
partner 81 F1eicher's was 30 less than
Buck Duane. Well Il WIS about time,
thought Dunno. that he made use Of
his name II e were 90 help him az oil.
That name had been MncNellys hope.
lie had anchored all his scheme 70
Duane's fame. Duane was tempted "a
ride or after Fletcher and Iny with
him This, however. would hardly be
fair 10 an outlaw who had been fair %
him. Duane concluded 20 await deycl-
ppments. and when the gang rode IN
b. ord. probably from their various
hiding places. he would be there ready
20 be denounced by Kucll. Duane
could not see any other elimination Of
This series Of events thnn meeting
between Kuell nnd himself. II that
Terminated fatally for KncI there was
an probability Of Dunne'S being IN no
worse situation thnn he was now. n
Poggin took M the quarrel Here
Duane accused himself ngnlu tried 10
vain 70 revolt from a judgment that he
was only reasoning out excuses TO
meet these outlaws
Meanwhile. instead Of waiting. why
GOT hunt up Cheseldno In his noun
tain reIreHt3 The thought no sooner
struck Duane than he was hurrylng
for his horse
In nn boar he struck the slope OF
Mount Ord and as he climbed he got
among broken rocks and cliffs. aud
was hard put 10 It 20 find the trail
lie halted at little side-cnnyon with
grass and water, mud here he made |
camp. And on this night, lonely like /
the ones he used to spend In the |
Nurcrs gorge aud memorable OF them |
because of likeness 10 that old hid. |
ingplaee he felt the pressing return !
OF old haunting things the past so
long ago, Wild flights. dead faces
and the places Of these were taken
HE f,ue. stNfksartrtfsf.f "a sf,.. ,uy.ft. fr,.,ta
with It's dark. iutent. speaking eyes
Ray Longstreth's.
That last memory he yielded TO UNI
~ he slept
In the morning. satisfied that me
had left still fewer tracks than he had
followed up this trnll. no led his
horse up 10 the head OF the canyon,
Into a narrow crack In low cliffs, and
with branches Of cedar fenced him In.
Then he went back und took up the
trail on foot.
Without the horse he made better
time. Once. through a wide gateway
between great escarpments he saw the
lower country beyond this, vast and
clear as Il lay IN his sight, was the
great river that made the Big Bend
lie rounded iutting corner, where
view had been shut on. and presently
came out upon the rim Of high wall.
Beneath. like green gulf seen
through blue haze, lay an amphitheater
walled IN on the two sides he could
see. II lay perhaps u thousand feet
below him and plain as all the other
features OF that wild environment.
there shone out big red stone or
adobe cabin, white water shining
away between borders. and horses
and cattle dotting the levels. II was
/ peaceful beautiful scene. Duane
sould not help grinding his teeth nj
he thought OF rustlers living In quiet
and eass.
Duane worked halfway down 20
he level, aud. well hidden In a niche,
be seated himself TO watch both trail
and valley.
The sun went down behind the
wall. and shadows were born In the
inrker places OF the valley. Duane
began 20 want 10 get closer 10 that
,abln. sun he fingered And sudden.
y his wide-royiug eye caught sight OF
Two horsemea riding up the valley.
l'hey mnst have entered az a point
Below. round the huge abutment OF
'0ck. beyond Duanes range OF sight. ,
Their horses were tired and stopped
It the stream for long drink
Duane left his perch. took 10 the
Iteep trail and descended ns fast as :
he could without making noise. II
I'D not take him long 20 reach the
ALLEY floor II was almost level,
With deep grass. aud here and there
Jumps n bushes. Twilight was al
eady thick down there. Duane
marked the location OF the TRAN. and
hen began 10 slip like shadow !,
through the grass ana from bush 10 =
ush. He saw bright light before he y
lsde out the dark outline OF the
abin. Then be heard voices a merry .
thistle, n coarse song. and the cllnk d
Z iron cooking utensils. lie smeiled
-agrnnt wood smoke. He saw NOV.
* DARK figures cross the light. Eyi- e.
emily there was wide door, or else
b. fire was out IN the open. Z,
Duane sweryed 60 the left. out OF T
lrect line with the light. and thus was h
BILE TO see better. Then he advanced ST
olselessly but swiftly toward the back X
Z the house There were trees close "
, the wall. He would make no noise s,
nd lie could scarcely be seen--if only C
lere was 10 watchdog But all his
utlaw days he had taken risks with | "
NV his useless life M stake. now / 81