PAGE SIX
HEPPNER GAZETTE TIMES, HEPPNER, OREGON, THURSDAY, NOV. 8, 1928.
liluslrjledhyVemcCChrhty
Cast of Principal Characters in This Thrilling
Story by Zane Grey
Buck Duane The Last of the Duanes
Cal Bain A Texas "Bad Man"
Luke Stevens An Outlaw
Bland Leader of an Outlaw Group
Mrs Bland His Wife
Jennie A Girl at Bland's Camp
Captain MacNelly A Captain of the Rangers
"Cheseldine A Dangerous Outlaw
So it was in him then an inher
ited fighting instinct a blood lust
a driving intensity to kill. He was
the last of the Duanes that old
fighting stock of Texas.
But not the memory of his dead
father, nor the pleading of his soft
voiced mother, nor the warning of
this uncle who stood before him
now had brought so much to Duane
realization of the dark passionate
strain in his blood. It was the re
currence, a hundredfold increased
in power, of a strange emotion that
for the last three years had taken
possession of him.
"Yes, Cal Bain's in town, full of
bad whiskey, an' huntin' for you,"
repeated the elder man gravely.
"It's the second time," muttered
Duane, as if to himself.
"Son, you can't avoid a meetin'.
Leave town til Cal sobers up. He
ain't got it in for you when he's not
drinkin'."
"But what's he want me for?" de
manded Duane. "To insult me
When he came to the gate of his
home and saw his uncle there with
a mettlesome horse, saddled, with
canteen, rope, and bags all in place,
a subtle shock pervaded Buck's
spirit
It had slipped his mind the con
sequences of his act.
But the sight of the horse, the
look of his uncle recalled the fact
that he must now become a fugi
tive. "I am a murderer," said Duane,
shuddering.
"No, son, you're not An' you
never will be. But you've got to be
an outlaw til time makes it safe for
you to come home."
Duane, with blurred sight and
contracting throat gripped his un
cle's hand and bade him a wordless
farewell. Then he leaped astride the
black and rode out of town.
When the heat of the day began
to be oppressive, and hunger and
thirst made themselves manifest,
Duane began to look about him for
man, dropping his hand from his
hip.
"Howdy," Duane replied shortly.
"I seen yeu ain't no ranger," call
ed the rider, "an' shore I ain't none."
He laughed loudly 'as if he had
made a joke.
He was small and wiry, slouchy of
attire, and armed to the teeth, and
he bestrode a fine bay horse. He
had quick, dancing brown eyes, at
once frank and bold, and a coarse
bronzed face. Evidently he was a
good-natured ruffian.
My name s Luke Stevens, an' I
hail from the river. Who'er you?"
said this stranger.
Duane was silent
"I reckon you're Buck Duane,"
went on Stevens. "I heerd you was
a bad man with a gun."
This time Duane laughed, not at
the doubtful compliment, but at the
idea that the first outlaw he met
should know him.
"Wal, Buck," said Stevens, in a
friendly manner, "I ain't presumin'
on your time or company. I see
you're headin' for the river. But
will you stop long enough to stake
a feller to a bite of grub?"
"I'm out of grub, and pretty hun
gry, myself," admitted Duane.
"Been pushin' your hoss, I see.
Wal, I reckon you'd better stock up
before you hit that stretch of coun
try." He made a wide sweep of his
right arm, Indicating the southwest,
and there was that in his action
which seemed significant of a vast
and barren region.
"Stock up?" queried Duane
thoughtfully.
"Shore. A feller has jest got to
eat. I can rustle along without
whiskey, but not without grub.
Thet's what makes it so embarrass
in' travclin' these parts dodgin' your
ranger to come along an' plug me.
Give me a pardner any day. Now
mebbe you re not thet kind of a fel
ler, an' I'm shore not presumin' to
ask. But I jest declares myself suf
ficient"
"You mean you'd like me to go
with you?" asked Duane.
Stevens grinned.
"Wal, I should smile. I'd be par
ticular proud to be braced with a
man of your reputation."
"bee here, my good fellow, that s
all nonsense," declared Duane in
some haste.
"Shore I think modesty becomin1
to a youngster," replied Stevens. "I
hate a brag.
"But every man who s lived along
the Texas border remembers a lot
about your dad. It was expected of
you, I reckon, an' much of your rep
was established before you throwed
yuor gun. I jest heerd thet you
was lightnin' on the draw, an' when
you cut loose with a gun why the
flgger on the ace of spades would
cover your cluster of bullet holes.
Thet's the word thet's gone down
the border.
"It's the kind of reputation most
sure to fly far an' swift ahead of a
man in this country. An' the safest
too, I'll gamble on thet It's the land
of the draw! I see now you're only
a boy, though you're shore a strap
pin', husky one. Now, Buck, I'm
not a spring chicken, an' I've been
long on the dodge. Mebbe a little of
my society won't hurt you none.
You'll need to learn the country."
There was something sincere and
likeable about this outlaw.
"I dare say you're right," replied
Duane quietly, "and I'll go to Mer
cer with you."
Next moment he was riding down
the road with Stevens.
"Stevens, have you got any mon
ey?" asked Duane.
"Money!" exclaimed Luke blank
ly. "Say, I haven't owned a two-bit
since wal, fer some time."
'I'll furnish money for grub, re
turned Duane. "And for whisky,
too, providing you hurry back here
without making trouble."
"Shore you're a downright good
pard," declared Stevens in admira
tion as he took the money. "I give
my word, Buck, an' I'm here to say
I never broke it yet Lay low an'
look for me back quick."
Presently Stevens rode out of
sight into town. Duane waited, hop
ing the outlaw would make good his
word.
Probably not a quarter of an hour
had elapsed before Duane heard the
clear reports of a rifle, the clatter of
rapid hoofbeats, and yells unmis
takably the kind to mean danger
for a man like Stevens. Duane
mounted and rode to the edge of
the mesquite.
He saw a cloud of dust down the
road and a bay horse running fast
Stevens apparently had not been
wounded by any of the shots, for he
had a steady seat in his saddle, and
his riding struck Duane as admir
able. He carried a large pack over
the pommel and he kept looking
back.
The shots had ceased but the yells
increased. Duane saw several men
running and waving their arms.
Then he spurred his horse and got
into a swift stride so Stevens would
not pass him. Presently the outlaw
caught up with him.
"Was jest comin' out of the store,"
yelled Stevens. "Run plumb into a
rancher who knowed me. He open
ed up with a rifle. Think they'll
chase us."
They covered several miles before
there were any signs of pursuit and
when horsemen did move into sight
out of the cottonwoods, Duane and
his companion steadily drew far
ther away.
Stevens was pale and his face
bore beads of sweat The whole
front of his shirt was soaked with
blood.
"You're shot!" cried Duane.
"Wal, who'n hell said I wasn't?
Would you mind givin' me a lift
on this here pack?
Duane lifted the heavy pack down
and then helped Stevens to dis
mount The outlaw had a bloody
roam on his lips and he was spit
ting blood.
'Oh! whv didn't you Bay so?"
cried Duane. "I never thought You
seemed all right."
'Wal. Luke Stevens may be as
gabby as an old woman but some
timeshe doesn't say anythin.. It
wouldn't have done no good."
(Continued next week.)
'What should be done in a case of
drowning?" asked the timid man
who was learning to swim.
"Well," replied the 'instructor, "I
should think the natural thing
would be to have a funeral."
"Kind of tough on Jones to ie
perpetually finding himself in such
a tight place."
"Why, does he?"
"Yep. He's doorkeeper up at the
Home for Inebriates now."
Modern conveniences
mate HOMES!
Home life today reflects comforts and con
veniences not obtainable In other years.
Enough Telephones, convenient
ly placed, are among the true signs of a
thoughtfully equipped home.
The cost is so small and the convenience
so great, just call our Business Office and
say, "I want an extension telephone."
(
RE8PON8IBILITY
Our duty U to provids you v(tj adtjuatt, 1
deptndabU and tadtfaetorj ulaphont frvic 1
at a natonabU cost TMi rttponttbfllty wf I
acctpi oj a public trud A
THH PACIFIC TBLBPHONB
AND TELBGRAPH COMPAmV
again? I won't stand that twice."
"He's got a fever that's rampant
in Texas these days, my boy. He
wants gunplay. If he meets you
hell try to kill you."
Here it stirred Duane again that
bursting gush of blood, like a wind
of flame shaking all his inner being,
and subsiding to leave him strange
ly chilled.
As towns go, Wellston was small
enough, but important in that un
settled part of the great State be
cause it was the trading center of
several hundred miles of territory.
On the main street there were per
haps fifty buildings, some brick,
some frame, mostly adobe, and one
third of the lot by far the most
prosperous, were saloons. Prom
the road Duane turned into the
street
It was a wide thoroughfare, lined
by hitching rails, saddled horses,
and vehicles of various kinds.
Duane's eye ranged down the street,
taking in all at a glance, particular
ly persons moving leisurely up and
down. Not a cowboy in sight
When he came to within fifty
paces of a saloon he swerved out
into the middle of the street, stood
there for a moment, then went
ahead and back to the sidewalk.
He passed on in this way the length
of the block.
Sol White was standing in the
door of his saloon.
"Buck, I'm tippin' you off," he
said, quick and low-voiced, "Cal
Bain's over at Everall's. If he's a
huntin' you bad as he brags he'll
Bhow there."
Duane knew himself to be cold,
steady. He was conscious of a
strange fury that made him want
to leap ahead. He seemed to long
for this encounter more than any
thing he had ever wanted. But
vivid as were his sensations, he felt
as if in a dream. Before he reached
Everal's he heard loud voices, one
of which was raised high. Then the
short door swung outward as if im
pelled by a vigorous hand. A bow
legged cowboy wearing wooly chaps,
burst out upon the sidewalk. At
sight of Duane he seemed to bound
into the air and he let out a savage
roar.
If Bain was drunk he did not
show it in his movements. Red.
sweaty and hisheveled, his face dis
torted and expressive of the most
malignant intent, he seemed a wild
and sinister figure. He had already
killed a man, and this appeared
manifest in his demeanor.
"Won't nothin' make you draw,
vou ? he shouted.
"I'm waiting on you, Cal," replied
Duane.
- Bain's right hand stiffened
moved. Duane threw his gun as a
boy throws a ball underhand a
draw his father had taught him. He
pulled twice, his shots almost as
nnA.
Bain's big Colt boomed while it
vi minted downward ana ne was
falling. His bullet scattered dust
anri travel at Duane's feet Bain
fell loosely without contortion.
a place to halt for the noon hours.
The trail led into a road which was
hard-packed and smooth from the
tracks of cattle. He doubted not
that he had come across one of the
roads used by border raiders.
He, headed into it, and had scarce
ly traveled a mile when turning a
curve he came point-blank upon a
single horseman riding toward him.
Mawnm', stranger," called the
shadow. Now I'm on my way to
Mercer. It's a little two-bit town
up the river a w.ay I'm goin' to
pack out some grub.
"Stranger, in this here country
two's a crowd. It's safer. I never
was much on this lone wolf dodgin,'
though I've done it of necessity. It
takes a good man to travel alone
any length of time. Why, I've been
thet Bick I was jest achin' fer some
...The...
"ZERO" HOUR
Shadows lengthen ! . . . The city's lights
begin to glow. A call comes through
from the load dispatcher's desk and the
man at the generator, control board
knows that the "zero" hour is at hand.
Deftly, skillfully, he "floats" one genera
tor after another each a giant as strong
as a million men through increasing
speeds until they come within 1-1500 of
a second of absolute synchronization
with the generators carrying the day
the great switch is trown. The
strength of four million men goes "over
the top" over the wires to homes, to
theatres, to transportation lines in an
swer to the city's call for the elecricity
on which modern life depends.
As you make fuller use of the potential
ities of electric service, that service is
enabled to increase its usefulness not
only to you, but to every department of
our civic, social and business life.
Pacific Power & Light Co.
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Under Auspices ol
Heppner Post No. 87
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Armistice Day
Celebration!
HEPPNER, OREGON
MON.. NOV.1
Big Parade at 1:30 to Heppner Rodeo Field
AUTO RACE
2
1 Tho Tiio-o-pst Fun Makino- Event in the History nf Hpnnnpr.
on , '
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GOOD PRIZES
Hermiston vs. Heppner
K This will probably be the best football game played in Heppner this season. Adm. 25c-75c
Program and Picture Show, Star Theater, 7:30
wm. boyd in "DRESS PARADE"
One of the best war comedies ever produced. A Super-Special at Popular Prices 25c & 50c
BIG ANNUAL DANCE :: ELKS' TEMPLE
Saturday, Nov. 10
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