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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 12, 1916)
THE 8EMI-WEEKLV TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRA8KA. THE LONE AR RANGER This is a story about the Texas Plains People By ZANE GREY CHAPTER XXIII Continued. 13 "Wnl, becnuso thcro nln't nny uso for you to git In bnd, too, Tho gung will rldo over hero nny day. If they're friendly Til light n Are on tho hill there, say three nights from to night. If you don't see It 4het night you hit tho trnll. I'll do whnt I cun. JItu Fletcher sticks to his imln. So long, Dodge." He left Dunno In a quandary. This hews was black. At tho moment Dnuno did not know which way to turn, but certainly ho hud no idea (of going hack to Bradford. Friction between tho two great lieutenants of Chcscldlnct Generally Buch matters wore settled with guns. Dunno gnth tr 'd encourngement oven from disas ter If Knell knew nnythlng It was that this stranger In Ord, this now partner of Fletcher's, was no less than Buck Duano. Well, It was about time, thought Duanc, that ho rnado uso of his namo If it wero to help him at all. That namo had been MacNelly's hopo. Ho had anchored all his schema to Duano's fame. Duano was tempted to rldo off after Fletcher and stay with hlra. This, however, would hardly bo fair to nn outlaw who hnd been fnlr to him. Duano concluded to nwalt devel opments, and when the gang rodo In to Ord, probably from their, various hjdlng pmccs, ho would bo there ready to bo denounced by Knell. Duano could not sco' any other culmination of this scries of events than a meeting between Knoll and himself. If that , tormlnntcd fatally for Knell tlicrd was hit probability of Duano's being In no Worse situation thnn ho was now. If Poggln took up tho quarrel! Hero Duano accused himself again tried In vain to revolt from n Judgment that ho was only reasoning out excuses to meet thoso outlaws. Meanwhile, Instead of wnltlng, why hot hunt up Glicscldlne In his moun tain retreat? Tho thought no sooner BtruckDunno than ho was hurrying for his horse. In an hour ho struck tho slopo of Mount Ord, and as ho climbed bo got among broken rocks nnd cliffs, and was hard put to It to nnd tho trail. Oo halted at llttlo side-canyon with grass and water, nnd here ho mndo camp. And on this night, lonely Hko tho ones "ho used to spend In tho Nueces gorge, nnd memorable of them bocauso of a likeness to that old hld-Ing-praco, ho felt tho pressing return of old haunting things the past so long ngo, wild flights, ,dcnd faces and tho places of thoso wero taken by ono qufvcrlngly nllvo, white, tragic, with Its dark, Intent, speaking oyes " Bay Longstroth's. That Inst memory ho yielded to un til ho slept. In tho morning, satisfied thnt ho had loft still fower tracks than ho bad followed tip this trail, ho led his liorso up to tho head of tho cauyon, Into a narrow crack In low cliffs, and with Wrauchos of ccdnr fenced him In. Then ho went buck and took up tho trail on foot. Without tho horso ho mndo hotter Umo. Onco, thrqugh a wldo gntowny between great escarpments, ho saw tho lower country beyond this, vast and clear as It lay In his sight, was tho trrcnt river that mado tho Big Bond. Ho rounded a Jutting corner, where Mew bad been shut off, and presently fcanio out upon tho rim of n high wall. Beneath, Hko a green gulf scon through bluo hnzo, lay an amphitheater iwnlled In, on tho two. sldo$ ho could See. It lay perhaps n thousand feet below him; and, plain as all tho other features of that wlll environment, there shono out n big red sloflo or adobo cabin, whtto wator shining teway botween borders, nnd horses tond cnttlo dotting tho levels. It was h peaceful, beautiful scene. Duano could not help grinding his tooth at tho thought of rustlers living In quiet 'hud caso. .Duano worked half-way down to tho level, and, well hidden in n ulcho, lie seated himself to watch both trail Mini valloy. t Tho sun went down behind tho .wall, and shadows wero born In tho Barker places of tho valley, Duano began to want to got closer to that cabin. Still ho lingered. And sudden ly his wido-roving oyo caught sight of two horsemen riding up tho valley. They must hnvo cntcrod at n point below, round tho hugo abutment of rock, beyond Duano's rango of sight, trholr horses wero tired and stopped tet tho stream for a long drink. Duano left his perch, took to tho Sleep trull, and descended us fast as o could without making noise. It fclrt not tnko him long to reach tho valley floor. It was nlmost level, with deep grass, and hero and thcro clumps of bushes. Twilight wns al ready thick - down thcro. Duano mnrked tho location of tho trail, and then begnn to slip llko a shadow through tho grass nnd from bush to bush. Ho saw a bright light boforo ho taudo out tho dark outllno of tho cabin. Then ho heard voices, n merry whistle, a coarso song, nnd tho clink of Iron cooking utensils, no studied fragrant wood smoke. Tie saw inov lag dark figures cross tho light. Evi dently there was a wldo door, or elso tfce tiro was out In tho 4pen. Duano swerved to tho iett, out of direct lino with tho light, and thus was ablo to sco better. Then ho advanced noiselessly but swiftly toward tho back of the house. Thcro wero trees close to tho wall. Ho would make no noise, and ho could scarcely bo seen If only thcro wns no watchdog I But all his outlaw Jnys ho had taken risks with only hit. useless llfo nt stako; now, with that changed, ho advanced, stealthy and bold as nn Indian. Ho reached tho cover of tho trees, know ho was hidden in their shndows, for at fow puces' distiinco ho hod been nblo to sco only their tops. From there ho slipped up to tho house and felt along tho wall with his hands. Ho camo to u llttlo window whero light shono through. Ho peeped In. Ho saw n room shrouded In shadows, n lamp turned low, n table, chairs, no saw an open door, with bright flare beyond, but1 could not sco tho Arc. Voices, camo Indistinctly. Ho went on round thnt end of tho cabin. Fortuno favored him. Thero wero bushes, nn old shed, a wood-pile, nil tho cover ho needed nt that corner. Ho did not oven need to crawl. Boforo ho peered between tho rough corner of wnll and tho bush growing closo to It, Dnnno paused n moment. This excitement wns different from thnt ho hnd alway3 felt when pursued. It hud no bitterness, no pnln, no dread. Thero wns ns much danger hero, per haps more, yet it wns not tho same. Then ho looked. J Ho saw n bright flro, n red-faced mun bending over It, whistling, while ho handled a steaming pot. Over him was n roofed shed built against tho wnllj with two open sides nnd two supporting posts. Dunne's second glnnco, not so blinded by tho sudden bright light, mado out other men, three In tho shadow, two In tho flare, but with backs to him. "It's a smoother trail by long odds, but ain't so short ns this ono right over tho mountnln," ono outlnw wus saying. "What's entln' you, Panhandler ejaculated another. "Blossom nn' mo rodo from Faraway Springs, whero Poggln Is with somo of tho gang." "Exeuso mo, Phil. Shore I didn't seo you como In, an' Boldt never said hothln'." "It took you n long-tlmo to got here, hut I guess thnt's Just as well," spoko up a smooth, suavo voice with a ring in It Longstroth's volco Choscldlno's voico I nero they wore Chesoldlne, Phil Knollf Blossom Knuo, Panhnndlo Smith, Boldt how well Duano remem bered tho nnmesl nil here, tho big men of Cheseldlno's gang, except tho biggest Poggln. Dunno had holed them, and his sensntions of tho mo ment deadened' sight and sound of what was boforo him. Ho sank down, controlling himself, silenced a mount ing exultation, then from a less strain cd position ho peered forth ngnin. Tho outlaws wero waiting for sup per, Their conversation might hnvo boon that of cowboys In enmp, ranch ers at a round-up. Knell sat thero, tall, slim, llko a boy In yenrs, with his pale, smooth, expressionless face and Fenced Him In. cold, gray eyes. And Longstrclh, who leaned against tho wall, handsome, with his dark faco and beard llko an aristocrat, resembled many n rich Louisiana planter Duano had met. Pnnhnndlo Smith carried pots and pans Into the cabin, and cheerfully called out: "If you gents air hungry for grub, don't look for mo to food you with a spoon." Tho outlaws piled inside, mado a great bustlo nnd clatter ns they sat to their meul. Llko hungry men, thoy talked littlo. Dunno waited thero for a while, then guurdedly got up and crept round to tho othor sldo of tho cabin, After ho beenmo used to tho dark nguln ho vonturod to steal along tho wall to tho window nnd peeped In. Tho outflkws woro In tho llrst room, and could not bo seen. Duano waited. Tho moments drugged endlessly, nis heart pound ed. Longstrcth entered, turned up tho light, nnd tnklng a box of cigars from tho table, ho carried It out, "Here, you fellows, go outsldo and smoke," ho said. "Knell, como In now. Let's get it over." no returned, sat down, nnd lighted n clgnr for himself. Ho put his boot ed feet on tho table. Duano saw that tho room wns com fortably, oven luxuriously furnlsned. Thcro must hnvo been a good trail, lid thought elso how could nil that stuff have been packed In there. Then Knell camo In and seated himself without any of his chief's case. Ho seemed preoccupied and, ns always, cold. "What's wrong, Knell? Why didn't you get hero sooner?" queried Long strcth. "Poggln I We're on tho outs again." "What for? Get It out of your sys tem so wo enn go on to tho new Job." '.'Well, It began bnck a ways. I don't know how long ngo weeks a stranger rodo Into Ord nn' got down cnsy-llko as if he owned tho plncc. no Beenied familiar to me. But I wusn't sure. Wo looked him over, an' I loft, tryln' to place him In my mind." "What 'd ho look llko?" "Rangy, powerful mnn, whlto hnlr over his temples, still, hard fdce. eyes llko knives.. Tho way ho packed his guns, tho way ho walked an' stood nn' swung his right hnnd showed me what ho was. You can't fool mo on tho gun-sharp. An' ho had a grand horso. n big black." "I've met your man," said Long strcth. "No!,' exclaimed Knell. It was wonderful to hear surprlso expressed by this man that did not In tho lenst show It In his strange physiognomy. Knell lnughcd a short, grim, hollow Inugh. "Boss, this hero big gent drifts Into Ord ngnin nn' makes up to Jim Fletcher. Jim ho up an' takes this stranger to bo tho fly rond-ngent an' cottons to him. Got money out of him sure. And thnt's whnt 'stumps mo more. Whnt's this mnn's gnmo? I h'ap pen to know, boss, thnt ho couldn't hnvo held up No.O." "How do you know?" demanded Longstrcth. ' "Because I did tho Job myself.'! A dnrk nnd stormy passion closed tho chief's fncc. "Knell, you'ro Incorrigible. You're unreliable. Another brenk llko thnt queers you with mo. Did you tell Poggin?" "Yes. Thct's ono reason wo fell out. Ho raved. I thought ho was goln' to kill mc. Sovcral of tho boys rodo over from Ord, an' ono of them went to Poggln an' says Jim Fletcher has a now man for tho gang. Jim an' Poggln always hit It up together. So until I got qn tho deal Jim's pard was already in tho gang, without Poggln or you over seeln' him. Then I got to flgurln' hard. Just where I over seen thnt chap? I dug up a lot of old papers from my kit an went over them. Letters, pictures, clip pin's, an' all that I guess I had a pretty good notion whnt I ns lookln' for an' who I wanted, to make sure of. At last I found It An' I knew my man. But I didn't spring it on Poggln. I sent Blossom over to Ord with a message calculated to make Jim hump. Poggln got sore, said he'd -wait for Jim, un' I could come over- hero to sco you about tho now Job. Hojd moot mo In Ord." Knell had spoken hurriedly and low, now and then with passion, nis palo eyes glinted llko flro In Ice, nnd now his volco fell to a whisper. "Who do you think Fletcher's new man Is?" "Who?" demanded Longstrcth. " "Buck Dunno I" Down camo Longstreth's boots with a crash, then his body grow rigid. . "That Nueces outlaw? That two shot ace-of-spades gun-thrower who killed Bland, Alloway ?" with more fooling thnn tho apparent circum stance demanded. "Yes; nnd Hnrdln, tho best ono of tho Blm Bock fellows Buck Dunno 1" Longstrcth wns so ghastly whlto now: that his black mustache seemed outlined ngulnst chalk. Ho eyed his grhn lieutenant They understood each other without moro words. It was enough that Buck Duano was thcro In tho Big Bend. Longstrcth roso presently nnd reached for a flask, from which ho drank, then offered It to Knell. JIo waved it asldo. "Knell," began tho chief, slowly, as ho wiped his Hps, "I gathered you havo somo grudgo against this Buck Duano." "Yes." "Well, don't bo n fool now nnd do what Poggln or nlmost uny of you men would don't meet this Buck Duano. I'vo reason .to believe he's a Texas Banger now." "Tho hell you say I" exclaimed Knoll. "Yes. Go -to Ord and glvo Jim Fletcher n hunch, ne'll get Poggln, nud they'll fix oven Buck Duano." "All right. I'll do my best But K I run into Dunno" "Don't run into him I" Longstroth's volco fairly rung with tho forco of Ifa nnnplnn nwl I Tf I l his face, drunk again from tho flask, sat down, resumed his smoking, nnd, drawing n paper from his vest pocket, ho begnn to study it. "We'll I'm glad chat's settled," ho sulci, evidently referring to tho Dunno matter. "Now for tho now Job. This Is October the eighteenth. On or bo foro the twenty-fifth thero will be n shipment of gold reach tho Rancher's Bank of Vol Verde. After you return to Ord glvo Foggln these orders. Keep the gang quiet You, I'oggln, Knno, Fletcher, Pnnhnndlo Smith, nnd Boldt to bo In on tho secret and tho Job. No body else. You'll leave Ord on tho twenty-third, rldo cross country by tho "Buck Duane!" trail till you get within sight of Mer cer. It's a hundred miles from Brad ford to Val Verde about the same from Ord. Time your travel to get you near Val Verde on the morning of the twenty-sixth. You won't have to more than trot your horses. At two o'clock in the afternoon, shnrp, ride Into town and up to the Ranch er's Bank. Val Verde's a pretty big town. Never been nny hold-ups there. Town feels safe. Make It a clean, fast daylight Job. That's alt Have you got the details?" Knell did not even ask for the dates again. "Suppose Poggln or mo might bo detained?" he asked. Longstrcth bent a dark glance upon his lieutenant . "You never can tell what '11 come off," continued KnelL "I'll do my best" CHAPTER XXIV. Llko a swift shadow and as noise less Dunne stole across tho level townrd tho dark wall of rock. Every nervo was a strung wire. For a llttlo whllo his mind wns cluttered nnd clogged with whirling thoughts, from which, llko a flashing scroll, unrolled tho long, baffling order of notion. The gnmo was now In his 'hands. Ho must cross Mount Ord at night Tho feat was Improbable, but It might bo done. Ho must rldo into Bradford, forty miles frora-tho foothills, beforo eight o'clock next morning. Ho must tele graph MacNelly to bo In Vol Verdo on tho twentjT-flfth. Ho must rldo bnck to Ord to Intercept Knell, faco mm, anu whllo tho iron wns hot strike hard to win Poggln's hnlf-won interest ns ho had wholly won Flptrlior'a. Falling thnt Inst, ho must let tho out laws ulono to bldo their tlmo in Ord, to bo frco to rldo to their new Job In Val Verdo. In tho monntlmn ho must plan to arrest Longstrcth. It was n magnlflccnt outline, Incredible, alluring, unfnthomablo In Its nameless certainty, no felt llko fate. no SCPmed to bo tho Iron mnsnminnona fnlling upon theso doomed outlaws. UlUler thO Wall tho shnrtnu-st nwn black, only tho tips of trees nnd crags knowing, yet ho went straight to tho .run. ic was merely a grayncss be tween borders of black. Tin Himi.twi and never stopped. It did not seem .ieep. ins root might havo had eyes. no surmounted tho wnll, nnd, looking down into tho ebony culf nlorcod hv ono point of light, ho rifted a menac ing arm nnd shook It Then ho stroiln on, nnd did not falter till ho reached tno hugo shelving cliffs. Horn ho nst tho troll; thcro was none; but ho re membered tho shapes, tho points, tho notches of rock nbove, Beforo ho reached tho ruins of splintered mm parts and Jumbles of broken wnlls tho moon topped tho eastern slopo of tho mountnln. mill thft mvqMfvlnrr hlnnl.-. ness lts had drended changed to mnglc sliver light. It seemed as light as day, only soft, mellow, and tho nlr held a transparent sheen, no ran im tho Imro ridges and down tho smooth slopes, nnu, uko a gont, Jumped from rock to rocic in this light ho know his way, and lost no tlmo looklnc for u trnll. no crossed tho divide, .and then had i nil downhill bfor him. Swiftly ho descended, nlmost always suro of his memory of tho landmarks. He did not remember having studied them in tho nsccnt, yet hero thoy were, oven In chnnged light, familiar to his sight What ho had onco seen was pictured on his mind. And, truo ns a deer striking for homo, ho renched tho can yon whero ho had left his horso. Bul let was quickly and easily found. Dunno threw on tho saddle and pack, cinched them tight, nnd resumed tho descent Hours pnsscd ns moments. Dunno wns cqunl to his great opportunity. But ho could not quell that self In hlra which renched bnck over tho lnpso of lonely, searing years and found tho boy in him. Dunno knew ho was not Just right in pnrt of his mind. Small wonder thnt he wns not insane, ho thought! Ho trumped on downwnrd. his mnrvclous fnculty for covering rough ground nnd holding to tho truo courso never beforo even in flight so keen nnd ncute. Yet all tho tlmo a spirit wns keeping step with him. Thought of Rny Longstrcth as ho had left her mado him weak. Ho saw her whlto face, with Its sweet sad Hps and tho dnrk eyes so tender nnd tragic. Tho moon sloped to tho west Shnd ows of trees nnd crags now crossed to the other side of him. The stnrs dimmed. Then ho wns out of tho rocks, with the dim trail palo at his feet. Mounting Bullet, he mndo short work of the long slopo nnd tho foothills and tho rolling land leading down to Ord. Tho little outlaw camp, with 'its shacks and cabins and row of houses, lay silent and dark under the paling moon. Dunno passed by on thelower trail, headed Into tho road, nnd put Bullet to a gallop. Ho wntched tho dying moon, tho wnnlng stnrs, nnd tho enst He had time to spare, so ho saved the horse. Knell would bo leav ing the rendezvous nbout the time Duane turned bnck toward. Ord. "Be tween noon and sunset they would meet - , The night wore on. Tho moon snnk behind low mountains in tho west. The stars brightened for a while, then faded. Gray gloom enveloped tho world, thickened, lay like smoke over the road. Then shade by shade It lightened, until through the transpar ent obscurity shone a dim light. Duano reached Bradford before dawn. Ho dismounted some distance from the tracks, .tied his horse, and then crossed over to the station. He heard the clicking of the telegraph Instrument and It thrilled him. An operator sat Inside reading. When Duane tapped on the window he look ed up with startled glance, then went swiftly to unlock tho door. "Hello. Glvo mo paper and pencil. Quick," whispered Dunne. With trembling hnnds tho operator complied. Duano wroto out tho mes sage he had carefully composed. "Send this repent it to mnko suro then keep mum. I'll sco you again, Good-by." Tho operator stared, but did not speak a word.. Duanc left ns stealthily nnd swiftly ns ho hnd come. Ho walked his horso a couplo of miles back on tho road und then rested him till break of day. When Duano swung into tho wide, grassy squaro on tho outskirts of Ord ho snw a bunch of saddled horses hitched In front of tho tavern. Ho knew whnt thnt mennt Luck still fnvored him. If It would only hold! But ho could nsk no more. Tho rest was a matter of how greatly ho could mnko his power felt. An open conflict against odds lny In tho bnlancc. Thnt would bo fatal to him, nnd to nvold It ho had to trust to his nnme nnd n presenco ho must mnko terrible Ho know outlnws. Eta knew what qunll- tles held them. Ho know whnt to ex- i nggernto. Thero wns not nn outlaw In sight Tho dusy horses had covered distance thnt morning. As Dunno dismounted ho henrd loud, nngry voices Insldo tho tuvern. Ho removed coat and vest hung them over tho ponimol, Ho pack ed two guns, one belted high on the loft hip, tho other ono swinging low on tho right side. Ho neither looked nor listened, but boldly pushed tho door and stepped Inside. Tho big room wns full of men, nnd overy fnco pivoted townrd him, Knell's palo faco flashed Into Dunne's swift sight ; then Boldt's, then Blossom Kane's, then Pnnhnndlo Smith's, then Fletcher's, then others thut wero fami liar, and last that of Poggln. Though Dunno had never seen Poggln or heard him described, ho know him. For ho saw a faco that was a record of great and evil deeds. Thero was nbsoluto silence. Tho outlaws wero lined back of n lohg table upon which were papers, stacks of silver coin, u bundle of bills, and a hugo gold-mountod gun. "Aro you gents lookln' for mo?" nsked Duano. Ho gnvo his volco nil the ringing forco nnd power of which ho was capable. And ho stepped back, free of nijythlng, with tho outlnws all beforo him. Knell stood quivering, but his fuco might havo been a mask. Tho other outlaws looked from him to Dunne. Jim Fletcher flung up Lis hands. "My Gawd, Dodge, what 'd you bust In here for?" ho said, plaintively, nnd slowly stepped forwurd. Ills nctlon wns thnt of n mnn true to himself. He mennt ho hnd been sponsor for Dunno nnd now he would stand by him. "Back, Fletcher 1" cnlled Dunne, nnd his volco mndo tho outlnw Jump. "Hold on, Dodge, nn' you-nll, every body," snld Fletcher. "Let; mo talk, seeln' I'm in tho wrong here." His persunslons did not enso the, strain. "Go nhcad. Talk," said Poggln. Flitchcr turned to Dunne. "Pnrd, I'm tnkln' It pa myself thet you meet enemies hcrepvhen I sworo you'd meet friends. It's my fault I'll stand by you If you let mc." "No, Jim," replied Duane. "But what 'd you come for without tho signal?" burst out Fletcher In distress. Ho saw nothing but catas trophe In this meeting. "Jim, I ain't pressin' my company none. But when I'm wanted bad " Fletcher stopped him with a raised hand. Then he turned to Poggln with a rude dignity. "Poggy, he's my pard, an' he's riled. I never told hlra a word thet d make him sore. I only said Knell hadn't no moro uso for him than fer me. Now, what you say goes 1e this gang. I never failed you In my life. Hero's my pard. I vouch for him. Will you staud fer me? There's goln' to bo hell If you don't. An' us with a big Job on hand!" While Fletcher tolled over his slow, earnest persuasion Daane had his gaze riveted upon Poggtn. Thero was something leonine nbottt Poggln. Ho wns tawny. He blnzeiJ. Ho seemed beautiful. But looked nt closer with glance seeing the physlcM man, instead of that tiling which shore from him, ho was of perfect build, with muscles that swelled and rippled, nulglng his clothes, with tho mngnlQccnt head and face of tho cruel, flprce, tawny-eyed Jaguar". Looking at this strange Poggln, in stinctively divining hi? abnormal and hideous power, Duano had for .the first time in his llfo tho Inward quak ing fear of a man. It was like a cold-tongued bell ringing within him and- numbing his heart Tho old Instinctive firing of blood followed, but did not drlvo away that fear. . - Ho knew. He felt something here deeper than thought could go. And ho hated Poggln. That Individual had been considering Fletcher's appeal. ' ' "Jim, I ante up," ho said, "an' if Phil doesn't raise us out with a bic Minnd why, he'll get cnlled, an' your pard can set In the game." Every eye shifted to Knell. Ho was dead white. He laugh'ed, and inyone hearing that laugh would have realized his Jntenso anger equally with an as surance which madb hlra master of th situation. "Poggln, you'ro a gambler, you are tho ace-hlgh, straight-flush hand of th'a Big Bend," ho said, with stinging scorn. "I'll bet you my roll to a greaser peso that I can denl you a hnnd you'll bo nfrnld to play." "Phil, you'ro tolkin' wild," growled "Are You Gents Looklnn for Me?" Poggin, with both advice and menaco in his tone. "If there's anything you hate, It's a mnn who pretends to bo somebody else when he's not. Thet so?" I'oggln nodded in slow-gntherlng wrath. "Well, Jim's now pard this 'man Dodge ho's not who ho seems. But I know him. An' when I spring his nnme on you, Poggln, you'll freeze, an' your hnnd will ba stiff when It ought to bo llghtnln' nil becauso you'll reallzo you've been standln' ' there five minutes flvo minutes allva beforo him!" (TO BE CONTINUED.)
