The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1917-11-27

~ NdiAIg was al i1Cdi ICllCat lOA
an outlaw band operating on a big
scale. Pursuit scarcely need be feared
over the broken trails of the Rim
Rock. And the open end of the valley
could be defended against almost any
number of men coming down the
river.
Duane must have idled considerable
time up on the hill, for when he re-
turned to the shack Euchre was
busily engaged around the campfire.
"Wal, glad to see you amt so pale
about the gills as you was" he said,
by the way Of greeting. "Pitch in an
Wen soon have grub ready. There's
shore one consolin' fact round this
here camp"
whats that?" asked Duane.
"Plenty of good juicy beef to eat.
An it doesn't cost a short bit"
"But 1t costs hard rides and trouble,
bad conscience, and life, too, doesn't
it?"
81 amt shore about the bad con-
science. Mine never bothered me none.
An as for life, why, thet's cheap in
Texas"
"Who is Bland?' asked Duane,
quickly changing the subject. what
do you know about himT"
eve don't know who he is or where
he halls FROM" replied Euchre. ''Thet's
always been somethin' to interest the
gang. He must have been a young
man when he struck Texas. Now he's
middle-aged. l remember how years
ago he was soft-spoken an not rough
in talk or act like he is now. Bland
amt likely his right name. He knows
a lot. He can doctor you, an he's
shore a KNOWN Teller with tools.
He's the kind tibet rules men. Outlaws
are always ridin' in here to join his
gang, an IL it hadn't been fer the
gamblin' an gun-play he'd have a
thousand men around him."
"How many in his gang nowT'
II reckon there's short of a hundred
now. The number varies. Then Bland
has several small camps up an down
the river. Also he has men back on
the cattle-ranges."
"How does he control such a big
force?" asked Duane. Especially
when his bands composed of bad men.
Luke Stevens said he had no use for
hat Bland was a devil"
'Thet's it. He is a devil. He's as
hard as flint, violent in temper, never
made any friends except his right
hand men, Dave Rugg an Chess Allo-
way. Bland IL shoot at a wink. He's
killed a lot of fellers, an some fer
nothin'. The reason tibet outlaws
gather round him an stick is because
he's a safe refuge, an then he's well
heeled. Bland is rich. They say he
has a hundred thousand pesos hid
somewhere, an lots of gold. But he's
free with money. He CANDLES when
he's not off with a shipment of cattle.
He throws money around. An the
fact is there's always plenty of money
where he is. Thet's what holds the
gang. Dirty, bloody money!"
'It's a wonder he hasn't been killed.
All these years on the border!' ex-
claimed Duane.
"Wal," replied Euchre, dryly, hes
been quicker on the draw than the
other fellers who hankered to kill him,
thet's ALL"
Euchre's reply rather chilled
Duane's interest for the moment. SUCH
| remarks always made his mind resolve
round facts pertaining to himself.
"Speakin' of this here swift wrist
game" went on Euchre, there's been
considerable talk in camp about your
THROWN of a gun. 1 heard Bland say
this afternoon-an' he said it serious
like an speculative-thet he'd never
seen your equal. All the fellers who
seen you meet Bosomer had somethin'
to say. An they all shut up when
Bland told who an what your dad
was. Pears to me / once seen your
dad in a gun-scrape over at Santone,
years ago. Wal, / put my oar in to-
day among the f~ellers, an / says
What ails you locoed gents? Did
young Duane bulge an inch when Bo
came roarin' out, blood in his eyel
Wasn't he cool an quiet, steady OF
lips, an weren't his eyes readin' Bo's
mind? An tibet lightnin' draw-can't
you-all see thet's a family gift?"
Euchre's narrow eyes twinkled, and
he gave the dough he was rolling q
slap with his fiour-whitened hand
Manifestly he had proclaimed himself
a champion and partner Of Duane's
with ali the pride an old mar could
feel in a young one whom he admired
"wal," he resumed, presently
''thet's your introduction to the border
Buck. An your card was a high
trump. You'll be let severely alone by
real %gun-fghters an men like Bland
Alloway. Rugg, an the bosses of tho
other gangs. After all, these real mer
are men, you know. an onless you
cross them they're no more likely e
interfere with you than you are VIII