Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1917-02-23

| light, and taking box Of cigars from
the table, he carried 1t 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
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
whats wrong, Knell? Why didn't
you get here sooner?" queried Long
streth.
"Pogginl We're on the outs again."
"What for? Get it out of your sys-
TEN so we can go on to the new job"
"Well, 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
wasn't sure. We looked him over, an
I left, tryin' to place him in my mind"
"What ID he look like?"
"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 a grand
horse, big black"
give met your man." said Long
| streth.
"Now exclaimed Knell. It was
wonderful to hear surprise expressed
by this man that did not in the least
show it in his strange physiognomy.
Knell laughed 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
PogginT
"Yes. Thet's one reason we fell
out. He raved. 1 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
| got to figurin' hard. Just where l
ever seen that chap? l dug up lot
Of old papers from my kit an went
over them. Letters, pictures, clip
pins, an all that. l guess 1 had a
pretty good notion what l was loOkin'
for an who I wanted to make sure of.
At last / found it. An l knew my
man. But didn't spring it on POggin.
l sent Blossom over to Ord with a
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 glnted like fire in ice, and now
his voice fell to a whisper.
'Who do you think Fletcher's new
man isl"
"Who?" 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-?" with more
feeling than the apparent circum-
stance demanded.
"Yes; and Hardin, the best one of
the Rim Rock fellows-Buck Duane -
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 1t aside.
"Knell," began the chief, slowly, as
he wiped his lips, II gathered you
have some grudge against this Buck
Duane"
EYES,"
swell, don't be - fool now and
do what Poggin or almost any Of you
men would-don't meet this Buck
Duane. I've reason to believe he's a
Texas Ranger now"
"T'he hell you say!" exclaimed
Knell.
Uyaa Go RI Ord and pfva Tim