Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 17, 1916)
THE 8EMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE. NEPRA8KA, ONE STAR RANGER This is a story about the Texas Plains People By ZANE GREY 1 rlCi flBH W3Wi sisBBf6iw SYNOPSIS. 5 Th tlmi of the story about 1870. The place. Tho Texas cow country. Tho chief character: Buckley Dunne, a youna man who ha Inherited a lust to kill, which ho unpresses. In self-defense ho shoots dead a drunken bully and li forced to flee to tho wild country where ho Joins BlanVn .outlaw band. Euchre, nn amiable rancal, tellx him about Jennie, a young girl who had been abducted nnd sold to lund for a bad fate. They determine fa rescue tho trlrl and restore her tn civilization. J5u otore has just reconnolicred, and Is re porting tho outlook to Duck. Q.gj.oAm.ftAm.ft.o.oAP.oj.p.o.o.pj. Buck Duano appearn now In the role of rescuing angel. It la a queer role for a murderer. For his generous service to one help less he Is rewarded with a fine devotion. One of the most thrill Ing Incidents In this thrilling story Is described In this Install ment. The 'manner of telling Is one that will hold you spell bound. 3 bou CHAPTER IX Continued. "1 didn't co anybody hut tho grens wo, nn' I sure looked sharp. Comln' back I cut across through tho cotton woodB past Blnnd's cabin plumb Into Seppo, an when I Inquired of his boss he Hald Blnnd linil been up nil night flghtln' with tho Senorn. We're pretty lucky." "It seems so. Well, I'm going," said Dunne tersely. "Lucltyl I should smile 1 Dlnnd'a been up nil night nftcr n most druggln rldo home, llo'll bo fugged out thlo mornln', sleepy, sore, nn' ho won't bo xpectln' hell beforo breakfast. You'll knvo to kill him, nn' It 'd 6nve tlmo to go for your gun on sight. Might bo wise, too, for It's likely he'll do thet same." "How about tho horses?" "I'll fetch them nn' come along about two tnlnnlts behind you. Onco on tJicm horses, wo can rldo out of camp teforo Allowny or anybody else gits Into action. Jennie uln't much heavier 9m n nh1ilfr Tlinf filfl. Hlrwtlr will nft- you botli." "Buck, a laqt word look out for thet Bland woman 1" Dunno merely nodded, nnd then, say-, (ltg that tho horses were rendy, ho strode awny through tho grove. No outlaws were In eight. Do saw vrnl Mexican herders with cattle. 81v columns of smoko curled up over tte& of the cabins. The fragrant smell of It reminded Duane of his homo ad cutting wood for tho stovo. lie noted a cloud of creamy mist rising above tho river, dissolving lu the sun light. Then ho entered Blnnd'a lane. While yet somo dlstnnc'o from tho cabin ho heard loud, angry voices of man nnd womnn. Blnnd nnd Knto till qunrrcllngl Ho took n quick Btir voy of tho surroundings. There wns not even a Mexican in sight. Then ho ( "Kate, Let Gol" kurriod n. little. ITalfway down tho lno he turned his head to peer through tho cottonwoods. This tlmo fce saw Euchro coming with tho horses. Thero was no indication that the old utl&w might loso his ricrvo nt the end. Duane hnd feared this. Duane now changed his walk to a leisurely saunter. IJo reached tho porch and then distinguished what waa aid Inside tho mbln. "If you do, Bland, by Heaven I'll Ax you and her I" , That was puuted tout Jn Knto Bltuid'fl full volco. "Let, we loose I I'm going lu there, I tell you)" replied Bland, hoarsely. 'Not no I I won't lot you. You'll feoko the truth out of her you'll Skill her." ' "The truth 1" hissed Bland. "Yea. I lied. But Bho lied to save Me. Ypu needn't murder her for jthat," Blnnd cursed horribly. Then follow ed h wrcatllnnr sound of bodies In vlo- jvnt straining contact the acrapa ot ffcot the Jrngle of spura a crash t sliding tuble or chnlr, nnd then tho cry of n womnn In pnln. Dunno itepped Into the open door, lnxldo the loom. Knto Blnnd Iny half across a table where she had been flung, and she wns trying to get to her feet. Bland's bnck was turned, lie had opened the door Into Jennie's room nnd had one foot ncross tho threshold. Dunne caught the girl's low, shuddering cry. Then ho called out loud and clear. With cnl-llko swiftness Bland wheel ed, then froze on tho threshold. Ills sight, quick ns his action, caught Dunne's menacing, unmlstaknblo posi tion. Bland's big frnmo filled the door. Ho was In a bnd plnco to rench for his gun. But ho would not. have tlmo for n step. Dunne rend In his eyes the despcrnte calculation of chnnccs. For n (lcctlng lnstnnt Blnnd shifted his glance to his wife. Then his whole body seemed to vibrato with tho swing of his nrm. Dunno shot him. no fell forwnrd, his gun exploding ns It hit Into tho floor, nnd dropped looso from stretch ing fingers. Dunne stood over him, stooped to turn him on his bnck. Blnnd looked up with clouded guzo, then gnsped his Inst. "Duane, you'vo killed him I" cried Knto Blnnd, huskily. "I know you'd have to I" She staggered ngnlnst tho wall, her eyes dilating, her strong hands clench ing, her fnco slowly whitening. She appeared shocked, half stunned, but showed no grief. "Jennie 1" cnllcd Dunne, sharply. "Como out. Hurry I" She came out with uneven steps, seeing only him, nnd she stumbled over Blnnd's body. Dunne caught her nrm, swung her boldnd him. Ho feared tho woman when Bho realized ho'w she had, been duped. His action wns protec- ' tlve, und his movement townrd tho door equally ns significant. "Dunne I" cried Mrs. Blnnd. It wns no tlmo to talk. Duuno edged on, keeping Jcnnlo behind him. At that moment there wns a pounding of iron-shod hoofs out In tho lane. Kato Bland bounded to the door. When sho turned back her omuzement was changing to realization. "Where 'ro you taking Jen." sho cried, her volco like man's. , "Get out of ray way," replied Dunno. His look pcrhnps, without speech, was enough for her. In an instant she was transformed Into a fury, "You hound l All tho time you wcro fooling met You mado love to root You'll never leavo hero nllve. Give mo thnt girl 1 Let mo get at her I She'll never win any moro men In this camp." "Help I help 1 help I" sho shrieked, In a voice thnt must have penetrated to tho remotest cabin In tho vnlley, Suddenly bIio snatched a rltlo off the wnll nnd bucked nway, her strong hands fumbling at tho lever. And sho jerked it down, throwing n shell Into tho chamber und cocking tho weapon, Duano leaped upon her. Ho struck up tho rifle ns It wont off, tho powder burning his fnco. "Jennie, run outl Get on n horso l" ho snld. Jennto flashed out ot tho door. With nn Iron grasp Duane hold to tho rifle-barrel. IIo hnd grasped it with his left hnml, nnd ho gnvo such a pull thnt ho swung tho crazed wo man off tho floor. But ho could not looso her grip, Sho wub us stroug ns he. "Kutol Lot gol" Ho tried to lnttmldato her. Sho did not see his gun thrust In her face, or reason had given way to such nn extent to passion that sho did not euro. Sho cursed, Her husband had used tho same curses, and from her lips they seemed strange, unsexed, moro deadly. Llko n tigress sho fought him ; her fnco no longer resembled a wo man's. IIo heard a cry from outside n man's cry, hoarso nnd ulnrmlng. It mndo him think of loss ot tlmo, This demon of a woman might yet block his plan. "Lot gol" ho whispered, and felt his lips stiff. In tho grlmness ot thnt lnstnnt ho relaxed his hold on tho rlfle-burrel. With sudden, redoubted, Irreslstlblo strength she wrenched tho rifle down and discharged it. Dunno folt n blow n shock n burning ngony tearing through ids breast. Then In a frenzy he Jerked so powerfully upon tho rlflo thnt ho throw tho Woman ngnlnst tho wall. She foil and seemed stunned. Dunne leaped bnck, whirled, flow out of the door on tho porch, Tho sharp cracking of n gun halted him IIo saw Jcnnlo holding to tho brldlo of his bay horse Euchro wns nstrldo tho other, and ho hnd a Colt leveled, nnd ho wns firing down tho lane, Then cumo a Blnglo shot, heavier, and Euchre's censed. Ho fell from tho horse. A Bwif t gianco bnck showed to Dunno a man coming down tho Inne. Chess Allowny I His gun was smoking. Ho broko Into a run. Then In an Instant ho Baw Dunne, and trlod to check his paco as he swung up his arm. But that slicht cause was fatal, Duane shot, and Alloway was falling when his gun went off. His bullet whistled close to Dutrie and thudded lata, the cabin. Duuuc bounded down to the horses. Jcnnlo wns trying to hold tho plunging bay. Euchre lny flnt on his buck, dend, a bullet-hole In his shirt, his face set hard, and his hands twlstd round gun and bridle. "Jennie, you've nerve, nil right 1" cried Dunne, ns he dragged down tho horso sho wns holding. "Up with you now I There I Never mind long stirrups! Hnpg on somehow I" lie caught his brldlo out of Euchre's clutching grip und leaped astride. Tho frightened horses jumped Into n run nnd thundered down the lnne Into the rond. Dunno snw men running from cabins. lie henrd shouts. But thcro were no shots Bred. Jcnnlo seemed nblo to stny on her horse, but without "ever? How Long Have Wo Been Here7' stirrups sho was thrown about so much tlrut Dunne rode closer und reached ovtt to grasp her arm. Thus they rode through the valley tf the trail that led up over tho steep nnd broken Rim Rock. As they bo-' gnn to climb Dunno looked bnck. No pursuers wcro In sight. "Jennie, we're going to get awny I" ho cried, exultation for her In his voice. , Sho was gazing horror-stricken nt his brenst, ns in turning tc look back ne inceu ncr. "Oh, Duane, your shirt's all bloody I" sho faltered, pointing with trembling fingers. With her words Dunno beenmo aware of two things the hnnd ho In stinctively plncod to his brenst still held his gun, nnd he hnd been shot through tho brenst fnr enough down to give him grave apprehension of his life. They did not stop climbing whllo Duane toro n scarf nnd mndo com presses, which ho bound tightly over his wounds. Tho fresh horses mndo fnst tlmo up tho rough trail. From open plnces Dunno looked down. When they surmounted tho steep nscent nnd Btood on top of tho Rim Rock, with no signs of pursuit down In tho vnlloy, and with the wild broken fastness beforo them, Duano turned to tho girl nnd nssured her thnt they now had every chanco to escape. "But your wound I" sho faltered. with dark, troubled eyes. "I see tho blood dripping from your back I" "Jennie, I'll tnko a lot of killing," he Raid. Then ho beenmo silent nnd attended to tho unovon trail. Ho wns nwnro presently thnt lie hnd not como Into Blnnd's enmp by this route. But thnt did not matter; any trail lending out beyond tho Rim Rock wns snfo enough. What ho wanted was to get fnr nway Into some wild retreut whero ho could hldo till ho recovered from his wound. So ha turned off on a trail that np- penred seldom traveled. - Soon nfter this movo be beenmo con scions of a further thickening of his senses. Ho felt nblo to hold on to his snddlo for u while longer, but he wns fulling, Then he thought ho ought to ndvlso Jennie, so In case sho was left nlono sho would havo some Idea of what to do. "Jenule, I'll glvo out soon," he snld, "No I don't mean what you think. But I'll drop soon. My strength's go Ing. If I die you rldo bnck to tho main trail. Hide nnd rest by dny, Rldo at night. Thnt trail goes to water. I bcllovo you could get ncross tho Nueces, whero somo rancher will tako you In." Duano could not get tho meaning of her Incoherent reply. Ho rodo on, and soon ho could not sco tho trail or hear his horse. Ho did not know whether tltoy traveled a mtlo or many times thnt fnr. But bo wns conscious when tho horso stopped, nnd hnd a vngao sense of falling and feeling Jcnnlo; arms before all beenmo dark to him, When consciousness returned ho found himself lying in a Uttlo hut of mosquito branches. It was well built and evidently some years old. Duano felt wenk nnd had no desire to move. Where was he, anywny? A strange, Intangible sense of time, distance, of something fnr behind weighed upon him. Ho thought ho henrd n step and listened, but he felt tired, and present ly his 'eyes closed and he fell Into a doze. Awakening from this, ho saw Jennto sitting beside him. In somo wny she seemed to huvo changed. When he spoke she gave n sturt nnd turned eagerly to him. "Dunno I" sho cried. "Hello. How 're you, Jennie, nnd now am I?" ho said, finding it a little difficult to tnlk. "Oh, I'm nil right," she replied. "And you'vo como to your wound's honied; but you've been sick. Fever, I guess. I did nil I could." Dunno snw now that tho difference In her was n whiteness nnd tightness of skin, a hollowncss of eye, a look of strain. "Fever? How long have we been here?" he asked. Sho took some pebbles from tho crown of his sombrero and counted them. "Nine. Nine days," sho answered. "Nino dnys I" he exclaimed, Incredu lously. But another look at her ns sured him that she meant what she said. "Blnnd's men didn't como nlong here?" "No." "Hnve you slept nny?" "A little. Lntcly I couldn't keep nwnke." "I should think not. You'vo hnd n time of it sitting here day nnd night nursing me, watching for tho outlaws. Come, tell mo all about It." "There's nothing much to tell," sho eplled, simply. "We must have rid den forty miles thnt dny we got nway. You bled nil tho time. Townrd even ing you lny on your horse's neck. When we enmo to this plnce you fell out of tho snddle. I dragged you in hero nnd stopped your bleeding. I though you'd die thnt night. But in the morning I hnd a little hope. I had forgotten tho horses. But luckily they didn't stray fnr. I caught them ml kept them down in tho gorge. When your wounds closed and you be gan to breutho stronger I thought you'd get well quick. It wns fever thnt put you bnck. You raved a lot, and that worried 'me, becnuso I couldn't stop ou. Anybody trailing ns could havo henrd you n good wnys. I don't know whether I wns senred most then or when you were quiet, nnd it wns so dark nnd lonely nnd still nil around. Every day I put a stono In your hut." "Jennie, you saved my life," snld Duano. "I don't know. Maybe. I did all I knew how to do," sho replied. "You saved mine moro thnn my life." Their eyes met In u long gnze, nnd then their hands In a close clasp. "Jennie, wo'ro going to get awny," ho snld, with gladness. "I'll be well In n few days. You don't know how strong I am. We'll hldo by dny nnd travel by night I enn get you ncross tho river." "And then?" sho asked. "We'll find somo honest rancher," "And then?" sho persisted. "Why," ho began, slowly, "that's as fnr ns my thoughts over got. It wns pretty hard, I tell you, to nssure my self so much. It nienns your snfoty. You'll tell your story. You'll bo sent to somo vlllngo o. town nnd tnken euro of until u relative or friend Is notified." "And you?" sho Inquired In u strange voice. Dunno kept silence. "What will you do?" sho went on. "Jennie, I'll go back to tho brakes, daren't show triy fnco nmong re spectable people. I'm nn outluw." 'You won't go back among theso terrible jnen7 You, with your gentle ness nnd sweetness nil that's cood ubout you? Oh, Duane, don't don't gol" "I can't go bnck to the outlaws, nt lenst not Blnnd's band. No, I'll go alone. I'll lone-wolf , It, ns they sny on tho border. Never mind nbout mo, Jennie." CHAPTER X. In threo dnys Dunne wns nblo with great difficulty to mount his horse. During daylight, by short relays, he nnd Jennto rodo bnck to tho main trull, whero they hid ngnln till ho hnd rested. Then In tho dnrk they rodo out of tho ennyons nnd gullies of the Rim Rock, aud enrly In tho morning United at tho first water to camp. From thnt point they traveled nfter nightfall aud went into hiding during tho day. Onco across tho Nueces River, Duane was assured of safety for her and great danger for himself, At Inst, fnr nhend over a bnrren mes quite-dotted stretch of dusty ground, ho espied a patch of green nhd a little flat,' red ranch-house. Ho headed his horso for It und turned a faco ho tried to mako cheerful for Jcnnlo's snke, Sho seemed both hnppy and sorry. When near at hand he saw that tho rauchcr wns a thrifty farmer. And thrift spoko for honesty, Thcro wcro fields ot alfalfa, fruit-trees, corrals, windmill pumps, lrrlgatlon-dltchcs, all surrounding n neat Uttlo adobo house. Somo children were playing In tho yard. Tho wny they ran nt tjio sight of Dunno hinted to both tho loneliness nnd tho fenr of their lsolntcd lives. Dunno snw a woman como to tho door, then n mnn. Tho hitter looked keenly, then stepped outside. He was u sandy haired, freckled Toxnn. "Howdy, stranger," he called, as Dunno halted. "Get down, you nn' your womnn. Sny, now, nlr you sick or shot or what? Let mc " Dunne, reeling In his saddle, bent senrchlng eyes upon tho rancher. Ho thought he snw good will, kindness, honesty, ne risked nil on thnt ono sharp glnnce. Then ho almost plunged from tho snddle. Tho rancher caught him, helped him to n bench. "Martha, come out litre!'' ho cnllcd. "This tnnn's sick. No; he's shot, or I don't know blood-stnlns." Jcnnlo hnd slipped off her horse nnd to Dunne's side. Dunne nppenred nbout to faint. "Air you his wife?" asked tho rancher. "No. I'm only a girl ho saved from outlnws. Oh, he's so pnlo! Dunue, Dunno 1" "Buck Dunno !" exclaimed the ranch er, excitedly. "Tho mnn who killed Blnnd nn Allowny 7 Sny, I owo him a good turn, nn' I'll pay It, young woman." Tho rancher's wife came out, nnd with n manner nt once kind nnd prac tlcnl essnyed to mnko Duano drink from n flask. Ho wns not so fnr gone thnt ho could not recognize Its con tents, which he refused, nnd weakly asked for water. When thnt was given him ho found his voice. "Yes, I'm Duane. I've only over done myself Just nil In. Tho wounds I got nt Blnnd's nre henllng. Will you tnko this girl in hide her nwhllo till tho excitement's over among the out laws?" "I shore will," replied tho Texan. Young mnn you ain't in nny shnpo to travel. I'll take you In along with the girl, nn' hide both of you till ypu get well." Dunne's Inst fndlng sensations of that hard day were the strange feel of u bed, n relief at the removal of his heavy boots, nnd of Jennie's soft, cool hands on his hot face. Ho lay ill for three weeks before ho began to mend, nnd it was another week then before ho could walk out n little In thoa dusk of the evenings. After thnt his strength returned rapid ly. And It wns only at tho end of this long Blege that he recovered his spirits. During most of his Illness ho had been silent, moody. "Jennie, I'll be riding off soon," ho snld, one evening. "I enn't Impose on this good man Andrews much longer. I'll never forget his kindness. His wife, too she's been so good to us. Yes, Jennie, you and I will have to say good-by very soon." "Don't hurry awny,' sho replied. Lntely Jennie hnd nppenred strungo to him. Sho had changed from tho girl he used to see nt Mrs. Blnnd's house. He took her reluctance to say good-by ns another Indication of her regret that ho must go bnck to tho brakes. Yet somehow It mndo him observe her more closely. 'It's likely that wo won't see each other ngnln," ho snld. "Thnt's strange to think of. We've been through some hard dnys, nnd I seem to hnvo known yea n long time." k Jennie appeared shy, almost sad, so Dunno chnngo tho subject to some thing less personal. Andrews returned one evening from h several dnys' trip to Huntsvlllc. "Dunne, everybody's tnlkln' nbout how you cleaned up tho Bland outfit," "ho said, Important nnd nil full of news. "It's some exnggernted, accordln' to whnt you told me; but you'vo shoro made friends on this stdo of tho Nueces. I reckon thero nln't a town where you wouldn't find peoplo to welcome you." "Did you henr of nny outlnws hunt ing mo?" nsked Dunne. "Nobody from Blnnd's outfit Is hunt- In' you, tbet's shore," replied Andrews. "Fisher snld thero never was n boss straddled to go on your trail. Nobody had any uso for Blnnd. Anyhow, his men would be nfrald to crnll you. An' yon could go right in to Huutsvllle, where you'd be some populnr. Reckon you'd be., snfo, too, except where somo of them fool snloon lonfcra or bnd cowpunchers would try to shoot you for tho glory In It. Them kind of men will bob up everywhere you go, Dunne." "I'll be nblo to rldo nnd tnko enro of myself In n dny or two" went on Dunne. "Then 111 go I'd llko to tnlk to you nbout Jennie." "She's welcome to n ho a here with us." "manic you, Anurows. xou'ro a kind mnn. But I wnnt Jennlo to get further nwny from the Rio Grande. She'd never bo snfo here." "All right, Dunno. Whatever you think best. I reckon now you'd better go north nn' strike for Shelbyvllle, I'll tell Jcnnlo tho names of men who'll help her. You needn't ride into town at all," At sunset two dnys later Duano and Jennie mounted their horses and said good-by to tho rancher- and his wife. Andrews wguld not listen to Dunne's thanks. "I tell you I'm beho'demto you yet," ho declared. "Well, whnt enn I do for you7" nBked Dunne. "I may come along hero ngnln some dny." "Get down nn' come In, then, or ' you're no friend of n;ne. An' good luck to you both!" Dunno nnd Jennie trotted nwny Into tho gathering twilight. Tho sky wns overcust with heavy clouds ; there was no nlr moving; the bent and oppres sion threatened storm. By nnd by Dunno could not see n rod In front of . him, though his horse hud no difficulty In keeping to the? road. To his nn noynnco, however, n fine, misty rnln set In. Jcnnlo wns not well dressed for wet weather; nnd, for thnt. matter, neither wns he. His ront, which In thnt dry wnrm climate he seldom needed, wns tied behind his snddle, und he put It on Jennie. The night passed quickly despite tho discomfort, nnd soon n gray, dismal, rnlny dnwn greeted the travelers. Jennie insisted that he And somo shelter where a flro could bo built to dry his clothes. He wes. not In a fit condition to risk catching cold. In act, Dunne's teeth were chattering. find a shelter In that bnrren wnste seemed a futile tnsk. Qultp unex pectedly, however, they hnppened upon a deserted ndobe cnbln sltunted a Uttlo off the rond. Not only did It prove to hnve n dry Interior, but nlso there wns firewood. Wnter wus available In pools everywhere; however, there wna no grass for the horses. A good flro nnd hot food nnd drink changed tho aspect of their condition us far as comfort went Jennie slept while Dttnuc watched. The saving of this girl mennt more' to him thnn nny tusk ho hnd ever ns sumcd. As he looked down upon her, a slight, Blender girl with bedraggled dress nnd disheveled hnlr, her fnce, pnle nnd quiet, n little stern in sleep, nnd her long, dnrk lnshes lying on her cheek, he seemed to see her fragility, her prettlness, her femininity as never before. But for him sho might at thnt very moment havo been n broken, ruined girl lying bnck In thnt cnbln of tho Blnnds. Tho fnct gave him a feel ing of his Importance In this shifting of her destiny. She was unharmed, still young ; sho would forgot and' bo happy; she would live to be a good wife and mother. Somehow tho thought swelled his heart. His act, death-dealing as It hnd been, wns a noble one, nnd helped him to hold on to his drifting hopes. Hardly onco since Jennie had entered Into his thought had those ghosts returned to torment him. To-morrow sho would bo gone among Jennie Slept While Duane Watched. good, kind people with a possibility ot finding her relatives. He thanked God for thnt; nevertheless, ho felt a pang. About the middle of the afternoon Jennie nwoke. They cooked n meal nnd afterward sat besldo the Uttlo fire. Sometimes when her eyes wero on him she did not seem to be think ing of her freedom, of her future. "This time to-morrow you'll bo In Shelbyvllle," ho said. "Whero will you be?" sho asked, quickly. , "Mc? Oh, I'll bo making tracks for somo lonesome plnce," ho replied. The girl shuddered. What Is your guess about Duane's future relations with Jennie that he wll decide sud denly he wants her for his own, will rush her Into a town and In to the presence of a marrying parson, and then will make her his partner for better or worse? ITO JJB CONTINUED.)
