The Bozeman courier., 1927-10-28

| AAdgS oAAOWAuS BIlGIICQ ndlI J1dg
curled about his sunburned square Of
forehead. Obeying his gesture towards
| second chair, Ducane also sat-so, hVe
4 years ago, the two, day by day, had
i faced each other. The cards were cut
| and dealt. Hallard, Weightily cogitating,
as five years ago he had weightily cogi-
Il tated, slowly discarded and drew three.
i Ducane, quick to decide as he had al
4 ways been, threw out and took two. Hal
4 lard laid his hand down upon the table.
ga paid Of queens" he stated briefly.
i Whats yours?" Ducane in turn ex-
i posed his hand.
u 81 beat you-kings. Your DEAL" he
said without expression.
Hallard nodded and dealt. This time
Ducane, with his former qutckness, threw
out only one card. Hallard, after another
long frowning wait, again discarded
three. With no change in the stolid FIX
ity Of his face he looked from the table
as the others hand was shown-three
tens, a queen and seven.
"Triplet," said Ducane.
my turn, What I guess you were
after when you threw out-a full house"
countered Hallard.
His cards laid down were three knaves
and a pair Of mines. In the lean tan Of
Ducane's cheek the instantaneous twitch
Of a pulse beat as, not speaking, he
swept the cards together and prepared to
deal again. Hallard thrust back his chair
and stood up.
Whatever I may ha' said or thought
o. you," he began slowly, cit never was
that you want straight. Straight Be-
lieve it or not-and it don't signify a
cent-that's so. I'd ha' bet my life on
it, any time, five years ago. And not
thought twice about it either.
Straight" repeated Hallard with a
nod. "And a man don't change, I
!, reckon. The way he's made he stays
all through. Which being so, your words
-
q lose that next hand. If that's so therell
: be one thing worrying me. You'll recol-
: lect I had sister, maybeP She died
: rather better than year ago. There
3 wasn't more than enough to clear up the
= debts-her husband was poor goods
my niece. That's why came here,
: bought this place. reckoned I'd settle
down, have her live with me-she was
!, coming soon as I'd got things bit more
! fixed. made my will last week, leaving
. her all own-theres the papers and SO
on in that bureau. If it's me takes the
: gun presently, here she'll be. A kid
: Pretty. All alone. Not knowing how to
!. take hold Of things any more than g
: pup. Liable to be fooled an cheated by
the first scurvy skunk that happens
!. along. You getting me?"
: With the relaxing Of his clenched hand
= upon the table he drew back a step
p Which is all supposing it's me. Sup
posing IIS you OuCaQe WlGnQTeW
step in his turn.
: whatever may ha' said or thought
4 O. you," he said with elaborately exact
= repetition, ut never was that you dtdn1
= know the points Of horse or how tC
= treat one. There's my mare out there
= = She's game, she's blood, she'll go till sh'
&c drops and she's gentle as a lamb. YoI
want find her beat in this state or th'
. next. If it's me gets the gun there ism
= anything I'd so soon know as that She
y owned by man thatIl handle her right
Ie If you take her would know it,"
Hallard repeated his stolid nod.
- Horses being horses and us boil
knowing it," he said deliberately, I'm
70 not saying that she shant miss you
Is Is Barring which, you don't need to worry
- She shall be looked after, good ant
- square, long as she lives or long as dc
- That ALP" Ducane swung round from
;" the window.
- There's a GIRL" he said abruptly
~ ~ "Over in San Manuel. But it don't mat
'e ter. Likely as not she'd never hav
looked at me, and I've never said mucl
- to her, luckily" He half laughed. q
-, ~ couldn't have asked her to wait anothe
=, five years, anyway. And, at the back c
- - things, I've always somehow had the fee
~ ~ that you'd get me, sure, long before tina
''I v1 As reckon you will directly"
- ~ Maybe yes and maybe no. Your deal
u said Hallard.
'e' He turned back to his chair. TIL
cards were shuffled and cut. Ducan
p standing, dealt them. Hallard, after onl
ne Ie a glance at his hand, threw out an
re IN drew one. Ducane, with hardly MOI
- delay, did the same with two. Hallar
- laid the five face upward on the tabl
~ |. - BEST yet-a flush. You beat it?" h
> demanded.
-, For an instant, no more, the pull
~ a. throb showed again in Ducane's chez
~ ~ He laid down his hand.
an "No-two pairs. You've got me, Dave
na 1 he said levelly.
We Seems So" agreed Hallard. Duca1
ng ct took a bunch Of cattle over to IL
y railhead yesterday" he said with tt
)" same level quietude. Had to give the
over to the man that bought them az
take the money. Ramsey's away for
. day or two-that's why he borrowed n
-. ~ gun, he don't carry any mOstly-but
- - don't signify. I can leave the bills I
@ @1Ie him. There's few things I ought to
a|I 'aIS to leave him straight, but they woI
az need to take very long. Know that b
'OH - rock back in the woods just after Il
~ AZ track this way crosses the Long Bran
oJ uSi road? I'll bring the mare there by SUI
~ ~ down. If you'll be along about then
A0H won't need to wait, can leave her tie
49,, go-go a little ways off. That's all, e
"a a. cept that maybe I'd best write line sa
.ds s' ing I've made her over ia you, so tn
'1St us there won't be any trouble or questio
- ~ asked-afterwards
1aff un
nat o,,o,. +I,e,a - a+,,r,1ed T5oeIard Iaco,fcai
M So,,ca,,a '+,,r1,e5 70 the indicatad tal
ice, against the wall. Hallard was standi
>, aS when he turned about again, and t
revolver lay beside the neatly stack
me me cards. He nodded towards it.
1u- He slipped the weapon into his
- packet. For the first time since the ls
]. n n ing down Of the last cards the eyes
AOI each met the eyes Of the other-bo
might have regarded wall with as mu
oa0 expression. Ducane walked out. HI
. lard's great figure lowered impassiv'
11ndar the veranda as he rode thrOII