Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1917-02-16

"Why don't you stay with me? I've
got a comfortable 'dobe over here.
Didn't I stick by you when Guthrie
an his bunch come up? Supposin' I
hedn't showed down a cool hand to
him? You'd be swingin' somewheres
now. tell you, Dodge, 1t amt
square"
"I'll square it. I pay my debts"
replied Duane. "But I can't put up
here all night. If I belonged to the
gang it ID be different"
"What gang?" asked Fletcher, blunt
ly.
"Why, Cheseldine's."
Fletcher's beard nodded as his jaw
dropped.
Duane laughed. II run into him
the other day. Knowed him on sight.
Sure, he's the king-pin rustler. When
he seen me an asked me what reason
I had for bein' on earth or some such
like-why, I up an told him."
Fletcher appeared staggered.
"Who in alfred hell air you talkin'
about?"
Didn't tell you once? Cheseldine.
He calls himself Longstreth over
there"
All of Fletcher's face not covered
by hair turned a dirty white.
"Cheseldine LongstrethW he
whispered hoarsely. God Almighty !
You braced the Then a remarkable
transformation came over the outlaw.
He gulped; he Strengthened his face;
he controlled his agitation. But he
could not send the healthy brown
back to his face. Duane, watching this
rude man, mGAveled at the change in
him, the sudden checking movement,
the proof of a wonderful fear and
loyalty. 1t all meant Cheseldine, a
master of men!
"Who air your" queried Fletcher, in
a queer, strained voice.
"You gave me a handle, didn't you?
Dodge. Thet's as good as any. Shore
| it hits me hard. Jim, I've been pretty
lonely for years. an I'm gettin' in
need of pals. Think it over, will you?
See you manana."
The outlaw watched Duane go off
after his horse, watched him as he re-
turned to the tavern, watched him
ride out In the darkness-all without
word.
Duane left the town, threaded a
quiet passage through cactus and mes
quite to a spot he had marked before,
and passed the night His mind was
so full that he found sleep aloof.
Luck at last was playing his game.
He sensed the first slow heave of q
mighty crisis. The end, always haunt
ing, had to be sternly blotted from
thought. 1t was the approach that
needed all his mind.
Late in the morning he returned to
Ord. If Jim Fletcher tried to disguise
his surprise, the effort was a failure
Certainly he had not expected to see
Duane again. Duane allowed himself
little freedom with Fletcher, an at
titude hitherto lacking.
That afternoon a horseman rode In
from Bradford, an outlaw evidently
well known and liked by his fellows
and Duane heard him say, before he
could possibly have been told the
train-robber was in Ord, that the loss
of money in the hold-up was slight
Like a flash Duane saw the luck OF
this report. He pretended not to have
heard.
In the early twilight at an opportunt
moment he called Fletcher to him
and, linking his arm within the out
laws, he drew him off in q stroll t
log bridge spanning a little gully
Here after gazing around, he took ou
a roll of bills, spread it out, split 4
equally, and without word handed
one half to Fletcher. With clumsy
fingers Fletcher ran through the roll
give hundred" he exclaimed
dodge, thets damn handsome of you
considerin' the job wasn't"
"Considerln' nothin'," interrupted
Duane. I'm maxim no reference t.
job here or there. You did me {
good turn. l split my pile. If the
doesn't make us pards, good turns
an money amt no use In this coun
try"
Fletcher was won.
The two men spend much time to
gether. Duane made up a short ficti
tious story about himself that salts
fed the outlaw, only it drew forth {
laughing jest upon Duane's modesty
} For Fletcher did not hide his belle
J that this new partner was man o
achievements. Knell and Poggin, ant
then Cheseldlne himself, would b.
persuaded of this fact, so Fletche
} boosted. He had influence. He woul'
} use it. He thought he pulled strok'
with Knell. But nobody on earth
not even the boss, had any infuenc,
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