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.)
