The Benson signal., 1917-01-13

| Oudno Wa1Ceu. Ine moments
dragged endlessly. His heart pound
ed. Longstreth entered, turned up the
light. and taking box Of cigars from
the table, he carried it out.
"Here, you fellows, go outside and
smoke" he said. "Knell, come in
now. Let's get it 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.
"What's wrong, Knell? Why didn't
you get here sooner?" queried Long
streth.
"Poggin! We're on the outs again"
| "What for? Get it out Of your sys-
TEN so we can go on to the new job"
swell, it began back a ways.
don't know how long ago-weeks-a
stranger rode into Ord an got down
easy-like as if he owned the place.
He seemed familiar to me. But I
wasn't sure. We looked him over, an
left, tryin' to place him in my mind"
"What ID he look nke?"
"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 grand
horse. a big black"
"I've met your man." said Long
streth.
"No!" 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 a 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 I 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. Thets one reason we fell
out. He raved. I 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
Poggin always hit it up together. So
until I got on the deal Jim's pard
| was already in the gang, without
Poggin or you ever seem him. Then
1 got to figurin' hard. Just where 1
ever seen that chap? I dug up lot
of old papers from my kit an went
over them. Letters, pictures, clip
pins, an all that. I guess I had a
pretty good notion what I was look1n'
for an who I wanted to make sure OF.
At last I found it. An 1 knew my
man. But didn't spring it on Poggin.
sent Blossom over to Ord with
message calculated to make Jim hump.
Poggin got sore, said he'd wait for
Jim, an I 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 glinted like fire in ice, and now
his voice fell to a whisper.
"Who do you think Fletcher's new
man is?"
"Who?" demanded Longstreth.
"Buck Duane!"
Down came Longstreths boots with
a crash, then his body grew rigid.
"That Nueces outlaw? That two
shot ace-of-spades gun-thrower who
killed Bland, Alloway-Y' with more
feeling than the apparent circum-
stance demanded.
Eyes; and Hardin, the best one of
the Rim Rock fellows-Buck Duane y
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. 1t
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 Knell. He waved it aside.
"Knell," began the chief, slowly, as
he wiped his lips, "I gathered you
have some grudge against this Buck
Duane"
"Yes'
"Well don't be a - fool now and
do what Poggin or almost any of you