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
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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.