Nogales international., 1928-12-18
Seventh Installmerlt'
WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE


Buck Duane, quick on the draw, kills Cal
Balm in sef-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 2land's camp, where he gets into fight
with man called Bosoaer and wounds the
latter. lie makes frie9d of an outlaw
at Bland's called Eucl,re, who tells him of
Mrs. Bland and the girl Jennie.
Duane meets Jennie, and premises to try
his utmost 10 get her away from Bland
camp. To avert suspicion, ii, is planned
tha, he pretend to care for Mrs. Bland
Euchre introduces him to the latter aad he
enga e in conversation with her.
y; ck lays the game, making Ms. IS. b!ano !
cion, Mrs. Bland pretends to her husband
that Buck has come to visit Jennie. Bland
urges Buck TO become regular member Q!
his outlaw gang. -,
kills Bland aud ruskes off with Jennie after
terrific struggle with Mrs. Bland. he
plans to leave Jennie in good haEds until
relative or friend is located, and then so on
alone on the trail. He keeps careful guard
ever her.
Despite his care Jennie is lost. Then
for three years Buck is ON the trail and
legends about him spread. and finally, ne
takes the risk oi calling on captain Mac,
NSlly OF tue Ai-lSSlSJ Wl4D tAS ii0o -
wants to see aim. MacNelly gfeets him
rather warmly.
NOW GO ON WITH TIE STORY
He took long, earnest gaze at
Duane, and his nervous spontaneity,
the manner which had been bright,
ps ornising volubility, changed to one
Vi grave thoughtfulness.
1--WE lots to say-but where to be-
gin? he muscd. Duane, you've had
hard life since you went on the dodge.
/ never met you before, dsn't know
what you looked like as boy; but |
can see what---Well, even ranger
life isn't all roses"
He rolled his cigar between his lips
and puffed clouds Of smoke.
"Ever hear from home since you
left Wellston 2" he asked abruptly.
mo"
"Never a word?"
"Not one,' replied Duane sadly
That's tough. I'm glad to be able to
tell you that up to just lately your
mother, sister, uncle, all your folks, |
believe, were we'll. I've kept posted.
But haven't heard lately"
Diane averted his face moment,
hesitated till the swelling left his
throat, and then said:
It's worth what I went through to-
day to hear that"
Il cap imagine how you feel about
it. When | was in the war-But,
let's get down to the business OF this
meeting"
He pulled his chair close to Duane's.
you've had word more than once in
the last two years that | wanted to see
you"
''Three times, remember" replied
Duane.
Why didn't you hunt ME up?"
Il supposed you imagined me one. of
those gun-hghters who couldn't take
dare and expected me to ride up to
your camp and he arrested"
THAT was natural, suppose" went
on MacNe!ly. "You didn't know me,
otherwise you would have come. I've
been long time getting to you. But
the nature of my job, as far as you're
concerned, made me cautious. Duane,
you're aware of the hard name YOU
bear ali over the Southwest"
"Once in a while I'm Jared into
realizing" replied Duane.
/ "It's the hardest, barring Murrell
and Cheseldine, on the Texas border.
! But there's this difference. Murrell in
his day was known TO deserve his in
famous name. Cheseldine in his day
also.
"But I've found hundreds of men in
Southwest Texas who're your friends,
! who swear you never committed a
crime. The farther south ! get the
! clearer this becomes. What / want to
know is the truth.
Have you ever done anything crimi-
nal? Tell me the truth, Duane. It
won't make any difference in my plan.
. And when | say crime mean what |
would call crime on any reasonable
Texan"
That way my hands are Clean" re-
piled Duane.
"You never held up man, robbed
store for grub, stole horse when you
needed him bad--never anything like
thats"
| Somehow I always kept out of that
just when pressed the hardest"
Duane, I'm gladl" MacNelly ex-
claimed, gripping Duane's hand. Glad
for your mothers sake! Glad for the
the person who has been instrument
al in interesting me in your case. But
all the same, in spite of this, you're
Texas outlaw, accountable to the State.
You're perfectly aware that under
existing circumstances, if you fell into
the hands of the law, you'd probably
hang-at least go to jail for long
term"
That's what kept me on the dodge
all these years" replied Duane.
Certainly MacNelly removed his
cigar.
His eyes narrowed and glittered.
The muscles along his brown cheeks
set hard and tense He leaned closer
to Duane, laid sinewy, pressing fingers
upon Duane's knee.
Listen to this" he whispered
Loa~eatx- etc r .,faeo {, IN ryio11 ;to ,,o.,r