The Benson signal., 1917-01-13
CHAPTER XxIII-continued.


will ride over here any day. IF
they're friendly I'll light fire on the
hill there, say three nights from to-
night. If you don't see it thet night
you hit the trail. I'll do what can.
Jim Fletcher sticks to his pals. So
long, Dodge"
He left Duane in quandary. This
news was black. At the moment
Duane did not know which way to
turn, but certainly he had no idea
of going back to Bradford. Friction
between the two great lieutenants Of
Cheseldine! Generally such matters
were settled with guns. Duane gath
cred encouragement even from disas-
ter. If Knell knew anything it was
that this stranger in Ord, this new
partner Of Fletcher's, was no less than
Buck Duane. Well. 1t was about time.
thought Duane, that he made use of
his name If it were to help him at all.
That name had been MacNelly's hope.
He had anchored all his scheme to
Duane's fame. Duane was tempted to
ride off after Fletcher and stay with
him. This, however, would hardly be
fair to an outlaw who had been fair to
him. Duane concluded to await devel-
Opments, and when the gang rode in
to Ord, probably from their various
hiding places, he would be there ready
to be denounced by Knell. Duane
gould not see any other elimination Of
ft,ic corioc nF ovop+c +hop q y,ooo+ipo
between Knell and himself. If that
terminated fatally for Knell there was
all probability Of Duane's being in no
worse situation than he was now. If
Poggin took up the quarrel! Here
Duane accused himself again-tried in
vain to revolt from judgment that he
was only reasoning out excuses to
meet these outlaws.
Meanwhile, instead of waiting, why
not hunt up Cheseldine in his noun
tain retreat? The thought no sooner
struck Duane than he was hurrying
for his horse.
In an hour he struck the slope Of
Mount Ord, and as he climbed he got
among broken rocks and cliffs, and
was hard put to it to find the trail.
He halted at little side-canyon with
grass and water, and here he made
camp. And on this night, lonely like
the ones he used to spend in the
Nueces gorge, and memorable Of them
because of a likeness to that old hid
ing-place, 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
by one quiveringly alive, white, tragic,
with it's dark, intent, speaking eyes
Ray Longstreth's.
That last memory he yielded to un-
Gil he slept.
In the morning, satisfied that he
had left still fewer tracks than he had
followed up this trail, he led his
horse up to the head Of the canyon,
into narrow crack in low cliffs, and
with branches Of cedar fenced him in.
Then he went back and took up the
trail on foot.
Without the horse he made better
time. Once, through wide gateway
between great escarpments, he saw the
lower country beyond this, vast and
clear as 1t lay in his sight, was the
great river that made the Big Bend.
He rounded jutting corner, where
view had been shut off, and presently
came out upon the rim Of high wall.
Beneath, like a green gulf seen
through blue haze, lay an amphitheater
walled in on the two sides he could
zee. 1t lay perhaps a 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. 1t was
q peaceful, beautiful scene. Duane
could not help grinding his teeth at
the thought Of rustlers living in quiet
and ease.
Duane worked halfway down to
the level, and, well hidden in niche,
he seated himself to watch both trail
and valley.
The sun went down behind the
wall, and shadows were born in the
darker places Of the valley. Duane
began to want to get closer to that
cabin. Still he fingered. And sudden
Iy his wide-roving eye caught sight Of
two horsemen riding up the valley
They must have entered at point
below, round the huge abutment Of
rock, beyond Duanes range of sight.
Their horses were tired and stopped
at the stream for long drink.
Duane left his perch, took to the
steep trail, and descended as fast as
he could without making noise. It
did not take him long to reach the
valley floor. 1t was almost level,
with deep grass. and here and there
cIumps of bushes. Twilight was al
ready thick down there. Duane
marked the location of the trail, and
then began to slip like shadow
through the grass and from bush to
bush. He saw bright light before he
made out the dark outline Of the
cabin. Then he heard voices, q merry