Nogales international., 1928-11-20
Third Installrnent
WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE

WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE
Buck Duane, quick on the draw, kills Cal
Balm in self-defense and finds himself an
outlaw. Flying from pursuit, he meets Luke
Stevens, another outlaw, and the two be-
come pals. Luke narrowly escapes capture
and Duane is shocked to find his brother
outlaw severely wounded.
Duane burieS Stevens. Then he goes on
TO Bland's camp, where he gets into a fight
with man called Bosomer and wounds the
latter. He makes friend of an outlaw
at Bland's called Euchre, who tells him Of
Mrs. Bland and the girl Jennie.
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
"Wal, l got it this way. Mebbe it's
straight an mebbe it amt. Some years
ago Benson made a trip over the river
to buy mescal an other drinks. He'll
sneak over there once in a while. An
as / get it he run across gang of
greasers with some gringo prisoners.
81 don't know, but l reckon there
was some barterin'. perhaps murder
in. Anyway Benson fetched the girl
back. She was more dead than alive.
But it turned out she was only
starved an scared half to death. She
hadn't been harmed.
II reckon she was then about four
teen years old. Benson's idee, he said,
was to use her in his den, sellin' drinks
an the like. But | never went much
On Jackrabbit's word. Bland seen the
kid right off an took her--bought her
from Benson.
"You, can gamble Bland didn't do
tibet from notions of chivalry. I amt
gainsayin', however, but thet Jennie
was better off with Kate Bland She's
been hard on Jennie, but she's kept
Bland an, the other men from treatin'
the kid shameful Late Jennie has
growed into an ALFRED pretty girl,
an Kake is powerful jealous of her. /
can see trouble brewin' over there in
Bland's cabin.
"Thet's why I wish you'd come over
with me. Bland's hardly ever home.
His wife's invited you. Shore if she
gets sweet on you, as she has on--wal,
thet'd complicate matters. But you'd
get to see Jennie, an mebbe you could
help her.
mind, / amt hintin' nothin'. I'm
just want;n' to put her in your way.
You're a man an can think for your
self. / had baby girl once, an If
she'd lived she'd be as big as Jennie
now, an by gosh wouldn't want her
in BANDS camp" =
"1'll go, Euchre. Taks me oyer,"
repiied Duane.
Euchre knocked upon the side of the
door.
rs that you, Euchre?" asked girls
voice, low, hesitatingly.
"Yes, it's me, Jennie. Where's Mrs
Bland1" answered Euchre.
f. She went over to Degez's. There's
somebody sick" replied the girl.
Euchre turned and whispered some
thing about luck. The snap Of the out
laws eyes was added significance to
Duane
Jennie, come out or let Us come in.
Here's the young man I was tellin' you
about" Euchre said.
OH can'tl I look $3.50"
Never mind how you look" inter
rupted the outlaw In whisper. 1T
amt no time to care for tE1et, Here's
young Duane. Jennie, he's no rustler,
no thief. He's different. Come cut,
Jerlnie. an mubbe he'ii--"
Euchre did not complete his SEN
tence. He had spoken low, with his
glance shifting from side to side.
E.uci1re went away through the cot
tonwoods.
''I'm glad to meet you, Miss-Miss
Jennie" said Duane. "Euchre didn't
mention your last name. He asked me
TO come over To-
Duane's attempt at pleasantly halt
ed short when Jennie lifted her lashes
to look at him. Some kind of shock
went through him
Her gray eyes were beautiful, but
1t had not been beauty that cut short
his speech. He seemed to see a ira
gic struggle between hope and doubt
that shcne in her piercing gaze. She
kept looking, and Duane could not
break the silence. It was no ordinary
! moment
What did you come here for7" she
asked at last
"To see you," replied Duane, glad to
speak.
"Why1"
''Well-Euchre thought-he wanted
nne to talk to you. cheer you up a BIZ"
replied Duane somewhat lamsly.
The earnest eyes embarrassed him.
"Euchre's good. He's the only per-
son in this awful place who's been
good to me. But he's afraid of Bland
He said you were different. Who are
your"
Duane told her.
you're not robber or rustler or
murderer or some bad man come here
to hide?"
mo, I'm not" replied Duane. try
ing to smile.
"Then why are you heref"
"I'm on the dodge. You know what
that means. / got in a shooting scrape
at home and had to run off When ii
blows over hope to go back"
"But you can't be honest here"
"Yes, I can"
"You fought Bosomer the other
day." .,e ..s.... 49,. .,., 49,. ),
'AOh, know what these outlaws are