Nogales international., 1928-11-13
Second Installnent
WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE

WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE
Buck Duane, quick on the draw, kills Cal
3ain 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.
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
"Feller's name was Brown. Me an
him fell out over hoss / stole from
him over in Huntsville. We had
shootin' scrape then. Wal, as | was
straddlin' my hoss back there in Mer-
Ger I seen this Brown an seen him be-
fore he seen me.
Gould have killed him, too. But /
wasn't breakin' my word to you. |
kind of hoped he wouldn't spot me.
But he did--an' fust shot he got me
here. What do you think of this
hole?"
ITS pretty bad" replied Duane, and
he could not look the cheerful outlaw
in the eyes.
81 reckon it is. Wal, I've had some
bad wounds I lived over. Guess mebbe
I can stand this one. Now, Buck, get
me some place in the brakes-leave me
some grub. an water at my hand-an
then you clear out"
Leave you here alone?" asked
Duane sharply.
"Shore, You see, can't keep up
with you. Brown an his friends will
foller us acrost the river ways.
You've got to think of number one in
this game" o
What would you do in my case"
asked Duane curiously.
"Wal, / reckon I'd clear out an
save my hide" replied Stevens.
Duane felt inclined to doubt the OUT
laws assertion. For his own part he
decided his conduct without further
speech.
First, he watered the horses, filled
canteens and water-bag, and then tied
the pack upon his own horse. That
done, he lifted Stevens upon his horse,
and holding him in the saddle, turned
into the brakes, being careful to pick
out hard or grassy ground that left
little signs of tracks.
All that night Duane, gloomy and
thoughtful, attentive to the wounded
outlaw, walked the trail and never
halted till daybreak. He was tired
then, and very hungry. Stevens
seemed in bad shape, though he was
still spirited and cheerful Duane
made camp. The outlaw refused food,
but asked for both whisky and water.
Then he stretched out.
Buck, will you take off my bootss"
he asked with a faint smile on his
pallid face.
Duane removed them, wondering if
the outlaw had the thought that he
did not want to die with his boots on.
''Pard, -stuck-to mel" the OUT
law whispered.
Duane caught hint of gladness in
the voice - he traced faint surprise
i'll the haggard face. Stevens seemed
like little child
To Duane the moment was sad, ele-
mental, big with burden of mystery
he could not understand.
Duane buried him in a shallow
arroyo and heaped up pile of stones
to mark the grave. That done he
saddled his comrades horse, hung the
weapons over the pommel, and mount
ing his own steed he rode down the
trail in the gathering twilight.
Presently the trail widened into a
road, and that into a kind of square
lined by a number of adobe and log
buildings, of rudest structure. Within
sight were horses, dogs, couple of
steers, Mexican women with children,
and white men, all of whom appeared
to be doing nothing.
His advent created no interest until
he rode up to the white men, who were
iolling in the shade of a house. This
place evidently was a store and sa-
loon, and from the inside came a
lazy hum of voices.
AS Duane reined to halt one of the
loungers in the shade rose with loud
exclamation.
Bust me if thet amt Luke'S hoss |"
The others accorded their interest,
| if not assent, by rising to advance to-
| ward Duane.
"How about it, Euchre? Amt thet
Luke's bay?" queried the first man.
"Plain as your nose" replied the fell
low called Euchre.
There amt no doubt about thet
then" laughed another, "fer Bosomer' 5
nose is shore plain on the landscape" "
These men lined up before Duane,
and as he cody regarded them he
thought they could have been recog-
nized anywhere as desperadoes.
The man called Bosomer, who struck
out in advance of the others, was a
tardlooking customer, with yellow eyes
and an enormous nose. He had sandy
! hair and skin the color of dust.
/ Stranger, who are you, an where
did you git thet bay hoss7" he de-
manded.
/ His yellow eyes took in Stevens
horse, then the weapons hung on the
saddle, and finally turned their CLINT
ing, hard light upward to Duane.
Stranger, who are you?" asked an
other man, somewhat more civilly.
My names Duane" replied Duane
curtly
"An how'd you come by the hoss?"
Duane answered briefly, and his