Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 17, 1929)
HEPPNER GAZETTE TIMES, HEPPNER, OREGON, THURSDAY, JAN. 17, 1929. PAGE THREE oFinnfArn "You'll forget. I'll love you so. Maybe I I hope oh, I pray there'll be children. We'll be happy, Duane." They watched the sun set golden over the line of low hills in the West, down over the Nueces, far beyond the wild country of the Rio Grande which they were never to see again. (The End.) CV7 IlJuslrjhJ bYemcCClirkfy MacNelly stared, and then a strange, comprehending light seem ed to flit over his face. "Duane I can give you no orders today, he said distinctly. "I'rri only offering advice. Need you take any more risks? You've done a grand Job for the service already. You've paid me a thousand times for that pardon. You've redeemed yourself. "The Governor the adjutant-gen eral the whole State will rise up and honor you. The game's almost up. We'll kill these outlaws or enough of them to break forever their power. I say as a ranger, need you take more risk than your captain?" Still Duane remained silent. He was locked between two forces. And one a tide that was bursting at its bounds seemed about to over whelm him. Finally that side of him the retreating self, the weaker, found a voice. "Captain, you want this job to be sure?" he asked. "Certainly." "I've told you the way. I alone know the kind of men to be met Just what I'll do or where I'll be I can't say yet. In meeting this the moment decides. But I'll be there!" MacNelly spread wide his hands, looked helplessly at his curious and sympathetic rangers and shook his head. "Now you've done your work laid the trap -is this strange move of yours going to be fair to Jennie Lee?" asked MacNelly in deliberate, low voice. Like a great tree chopped at the roots Duane vibrated to that. He looked up as if he had seen a ghost Mercilessly the ranger captain went on: "Jennie Lee came to me in Austin. She was heartbroken. She re proached me. She begged me. She told me of your mother. She did all she could to get me to fetch you back and if I hadn't been powerless I would have done so." "You can go back to her, Duane! It never seemed possible, but now it's true. Fight with us from cover then go back to her. You will have served the Texas Rangers as no other man has. I'll accept your resignation. You'll be free, honor ed, happy and rich. Jennie's rich, Duane. And she loves you! My God! how that girl loves you! She's" But Duane cut him short with a fierce gesture. He lunged up to his feet and the rangers fell back. Dark silent, grim as he had been, still there was a transformation singu larly more sinister, stranger. "Enough. I'm done," he said som berly. "I've planned. Do we agree or shall I meet Poggin and his gnng alone?" MacNelly cursed and again threw up his hands, this time in baffled chagrin. There was deep regret in his dark eyes as they rested upon Duane. "I accept, Duane," he rejoined quietly. "I'll go about the arrange ments at once." Duane was left alone. Never had his mind been so quick, so clear, so wonderful In its understanding of what had hereto fore been intricate and elusive Im pulses of his strange nature. His determination was to meet Poggin. Meet him before any one else had a chance Poggin first and then the others! He was as unalterable in that decision as If, on the in stant of its acceptance, he had be come stone. At a few minutes before half-past two a dark compact body of horse men appeared far down, turning into the road. They came at a sharp trot a group that would have attracted attention anywhere at any time. They came a little faster as they entered town then faster still now they were four blocks away now three now two. Duane backed down the middle of the vestibule, up the steps, and halted in the center of the wide doorway. There seemed to be a rushing In his cars through which pierced sharp ringing clip-clop of iron hoofs. He could See only the corner of the street. But suddenly into that shot lean-limbed dusty bay horses. There was a clattering of nervous hoofs pulled to a halt. , Duane saw the tawny Poggin speak to his companions. Ho dls- mounted quickly. They followed suit. They had the manner of ranchers about to conduct some business. No guns showed. Poggin started leiBurely for the bank-door, quickening step a little. The others, close together, came be hind him. Blossom Kane had a bag in his left hand. Jim Fletcher was left behind, and he had already gathered up the bridles. Poggin entered the vestibule first, with Kane on one side, Boldt on the other, a little behind him. As he strode in he saw Duane. "Great Scott!" he cried. Something Inside Duane burst, piercing all of him with cold. Was it that fear? "Buck Duane!" echoed Kane. One Instant Poggin looked up, and Duane looked down. Like a striking jaguar Poggin moved. Almost as quick, Duane threw his arm. The guns boomed almost together. Duane felt a blow just before he pulled trigger. His thoughts came swift like the strange dots before his eyes. His rising gun had loosened in his hand. Poggin had drawn quick er! A tearing agony encompassed his breast He pulled pulled at ran dom. Thunder of booming shots all around him. Red flashes jets of smoke shrills, yells. The end yes the end! With fading sight he saw Kane go down, then Boldt But supreme torture bitterer than death Pog gin stood, mane like a lion's back to the wall, bloody-faced, grand, with his guns spouting red! All faded darkened. The thun der deadened. Duane fell, seemed floating. There it drifted Jennie Lees sweet face, white, sad with dark tragic eyes fading fading fad ing- Light shone before Duane s eyes thick, Btrange light that came and went. It seemed a long time with dull and booming sounds rushing by, filling all. It was a dream in which there was nothing. Drifting under a burden darkness light sound movement Obscure strug gling thought vague sense of time long time. There was blackness and fire, creeping, consuming fire. He was rolled and wrapped in it and a dark cloud carried him away, en veloped him. He saw then, dimly, a room tnat was strange, strange people mov ing about, over him, with faint voices, far away, tilings in a dream. He saw again, clearly, and con sciousness returned, still strange, still unreal, full of those vague and far-away things. He was not dead, then. He lay stiff, like a stone, with a weight ponderous as a moun tain upon him. And slow dull beat ing burning agony racked all his bound body. A man bent over him, looked deep into his eyes, and seemed to whis per from a distance: "Duane Du ane Ah, he knew me! After that another long time of darkness; when the light came again, clearer, this same dark-eyed earnest man bent over him. It was MacNelly and with recognition the past flooded back. Duane tried to speak. His lips were weak and limp. Their move ment was barely perceptible. "Have you sent for her?" "No, oh no. It's not that bad. PHONE or leave orders at Phelps Grocery Co. Home Phone 1102 HEPPNER TRANS FER COMPANY Central Market for the best in Meats. FRESH AND CURED MEATS Fish on Fridays. Oysters, Clams, Shell Fish. Central Market HENRY SCIIWARZ & SON You've a chance. Why, man, you'll get well. You'll pack a sight of lead all your life, Duane. The whole Southwest knows your story. You need never be ashamed again of the name Buck Duane. It'll live in Tex as with that of Davy Crocket. Think of Jennie home mother!" Then there was a white house home and his heart beat thick. How familiar It all was how strange, too! And all seemed magnified. The someone in white cried low and knelt by his bed. His mother flung wide her arms with strange gesture. "That man that's his father! Where Is my boy? My son, oh, my son!" It was sheer pleasure to lie by the west window and watch Uncle Jim whittle his stick and listen to him talk. He was old now and broken. He told so many Interesting things about people Duane had known, people who had grown up and married, failed, succeede, gone away, died. But it was hard to keep Uncle Jim off the subjects of guns, fights, outlaws. He could not seem to divine how mention of those things made Duane shrink. Uncle Jim, old, childish now, and he had a pride in Duane. He wanted to hear it all all of Duane's exile. And if there was one thing more than another that pleased him it was to speak of the bullets Duane carried in his body. "Nine bulleta, wasn't it? Nine in the last scrap. By gum! A man's a man to carry them. And you had three before?" "Yes, uncle," replied Duane. "Nine and three that makes twelve. An even dozen. You could pack more than that, my boy, and get away with them. There's Cole Younger I've seen him. He's got twenty-three. But he's a bigger man than you more flesh. "Funny, wasn't it, about the doc tors only cuttin' one bullet out of you that one in your breast bone? It was a forty-one caliber, an unus ual cartridge. "There was one bullet left in Pog gin's gun, and it was the same kind as the one cut out. By gum! boy, that bullet would have killed you if it'd stayed there." "It would, indeed, uncle," said Duane, and the old, haunting, som ber mood returned. But Jennie was with him most of the time, and when she was by there was a deep, quiet joy such as had never been his. She knelt by him at the window, her sweet face still white, but with warm life beneath the marble, her dark eyes still Intent, haunted by shadows but no longer tragic. "The pain Duane is It any worse today, dear?" she asked. "No, it's the same. It will always be the same, Jennie. I'm full of lead, you know. But I don't, mind that" "It's the old mood the fear?" "Yes. It haunts me. I'll be able to go out soon. Then it'll come back." "No no, Duane," she said. "Some drunken cowboy some fool with a gun will hunt me out," he said miserably. "Buck Duane! To kill Buck Duane!" 'Hush! Listen to me," she whis pered, with tender arms round him. I understand. But you will never have to draw again, Duane. You'll never kill another man, thank God! For you will have me with you al ways. Soon you 11 be well. Then, Duane, we'll we'll be married. "We'll take Uncle Jim and mother and go far from Texas, north some where to Indiana, Michigan, any where that you want. I have mon ey, Duane! Isn't it wonderful? The little ragged girl you met out In Bl out in the Rio Grande! Do you remember my greaser sandals no stockings! And I was lame then. Oh, it all comes back! But that's past We'll buy a farm, and you will be busy with horses and cattle and sheep. NEEDING LUMBER? No matter what the quality, we can satisfy your needs at most reasonble prices. Building material is our specialty, and we be lieve our service is pleasing. Heppner Planing Mill & Lumber Yard A. R. REID, Prop. Phones: Mill 9F25; Yard Main 1123 ARE YOU SHIPPING TURKEYS? Get our rates for dressed poultry of all kinds be fore you ship. We will pick them up any place on our route. John Day Valley Freight Line (Incorporated) Operating between Heppner and Portland and John Day Highway Points. CITY GARAGE, Local Agent, Phone 172 ASK FOR OLY MPIC Sperry's high test, hard wheat flour. You will find it superior for best baking results. A full line of Sperry's Cereals always to be had at PHELPS For SaleMammoth bronze tur key gobblers. Emma Anderson, lone, Oregon. 44-46. For a GOOD MEAL at ANY TIME ELKHORN RESTAURANT ED CHINN, Prop. MOST IMPORTANT GROUP OF MOTOR CAR RUYERS Certain American people are getting on in the world. Many of them are just starting. But they're headed up the ladder. Their ideas of luxury and beauty are expanding. They want finer homes, finer furniture, finer automobiles. During the past three years, hundreds of thousands of these progressive Americans have been buying the Pontiac Six. Some of them have bought it as the first car they ever owned. But to most of them, Pontiac has represented the first big step up from the lowest priced field. For this progressive group, Oakland has now created a brand new Pontiac Six. It repre sents an even greater advancement over every thing else in its field today than the original Pontiac represented in 1926. It will take its buy ers farther than ever up the ladder of motor car quality in one step. Watch for the HPflDMTTMC at 745 f.o.b. factory I cash r (uir inK TTTT Imodernt I AND sX j U A 1 TOOD OREGON, WASHINGTON, CALIFORNIA, IDAHO HEPPNER HOTEL BLDG., HEPPNER, ORE. he Tourist as an Example Why is it that the millions of tourists whenever possible trade at the Chain Stores. Simply because they have found that the prices on every item are marked consistently low instead of just a few items. We invite you to come in and compare our prices with those you are paying. You will find all items plainly priced. PINEAPPLE Broken Slice 4 22 Tins 79c STONE'S SYRUP Cane and Maple -I-Gallon 89C l Gallon . . . $1.59 CRYSTAL WHITE SOAP 20 Bars 85C SUPER SUDS 3 Packages ... 25C BULK LARD 2 lbs 39c 4 lbs. 75c 8 lbs. ...... $1.45 SUGAR $jg.23 PER 100 LBS. BANANAS Fancy Yellow Fruit 25c 3 LBS. Cheese Swift's Brookfield $1.59 5 LB. LOAF SPERRY'S FLOUR White Down 49 Lbs $1.85 Barrel $7.25 RED MEXICAN BEANS 10 Lbs. ..... 79c Campbell's SOUP All Kinds Per Can 10c We Deliver Orders Over $3.00 FREE in the Ciiy Limits Bread Whole Wheat, White 3 LOAVES 19c STONE'S COFFEE SPECIAL BLEND 1 Lb 39c 3 Lbs $1.10 SUPREME BLEND I Lb 49c 3 Lbs $1.45 WThy Buy the Tin? Bacon Mild Cured Grocery Co. THE HOME OF GOOD EATS Phone Main 53 We Deliver 29c PER LB.