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of fancy or imagination had troubled him, pained him, made him sleepless and sick.

That morning Duane spent an unhappy hour wrestling decision out of the unstable condition of his mind. But at length he determined to create interest in all that he came across and so forget himself as much as possible. He had an opportunity now to see just what the outlawā€™s life really was. He meant to force himself to be curious, sympathetic, clear-sighted. And he would stay there in the valley until its possibilities had been exhausted or until circumstances sent him out upon his uncertain way.

When he returned to the shack Euchre was cooking dinner.

ā€œSay, Buck, Iā€™ve news for you,ā€ he said; and his tone conveyed either pride in his possession of such news or pride in Duane. ā€œFeller named Bradley rode in this morninā€™. Heā€™s heard some about you. Told about the ace of spades they put over the bullet holes in thet cowpuncher Bain you plugged. Then there was a rancher shot at a waterhole twenty miles south of Wellston. Reckon you didnā€™t do it?ā€

ā€œNo, I certainly did not,ā€ replied Duane.

ā€œWal, you get the blame. It ainā€™t nothinā€™ for a feller to be saddled with gunplays he never made. Anā€™, Buck, if you ever get famous, as seems likely, youā€™ll be blamed for many a crime. The borderā€™ll make an outlaw anā€™ murderer out of you. Wal, thetā€™s enough of thet. Iā€™ve more news. Youā€™re goinā€™ to be popular.ā€

ā€œPopular? What do you mean?ā€

ā€œI met Blandā€™s wife this morninā€™. She seen you the other day when you rode in. She shore wants to meet you, anā€™ so do some of the other women in camp. They always want to meet the new fellers whoā€™ve just come in. Itā€™s lonesome for women here, anā€™ they like to hear news from the towns.ā€

ā€œWell, Euchre, I donā€™t want to be impolite, but Iā€™d rather not meet any women,ā€ rejoined Duane.

ā€œI was afraid you wouldnā€™t. Donā€™t blame you much. Women are hell. I was hopinā€™, though, you might talk a little to thet poor lonesome kid.ā€

ā€œWhat kid?ā€ inquired Duane, in surprise.

ā€œDidnā€™t I tell you about Jennieā€”the girl Blandā€™s holdinā€™ hereā€”the one Jackrabbit Benson had a hand in stealinā€™?ā€

ā€œYou mentioned a girl. Thatā€™s all. Tell me now,ā€ replied Duane, abruptly.

ā€œWal, I got it this way. Mebbe itā€™s straight, anā€™ mebbe it ainā€™t. Some years ago Benson made a trip over the river to buy mescal anā€™ other drinks. Heā€™ll sneak over there once in a while. Anā€™ as I get it he run across a gang of greasers with some gringo prisoners. I donā€™t know, but I reckon there was some barterinā€™, perhaps murderinā€™. Anyway, Benson fetched the girl back. She was more dead than alive. But it turned out she was only starved anā€™ scared half to death. She hadnā€™t been harmed. I reckon she was then about fourteen years old. Bensonā€™s idee, he said, was to use her in his den sellinā€™ drinks anā€™ the like. But I never went much on Jackrabbitā€™s word. Bland seen the kid right off and took herā€”bought her from Benson. You can gamble Bland didnā€™t do thet from notions of chivalry. I ainā€™t gainsayin, however, but thet Jennie was better off with Kate Bland. Sheā€™s been hard on Jennie, but sheā€™s kept Bland anā€™ the other men from treatinā€™ the kid shameful. Late Jennie has growed into an all-fired pretty girl, anā€™ Kate is powerful jealous of her. I can see hell brewinā€™ over there in Blandā€™s cabin. Thetā€™s why I wish youā€™d come over with me. Blandā€™s hardly ever home. His wifeā€™s invited you. Shore, if she gets sweet on you, as she has onā€”Wal, thet ā€˜d complicate matters. But youā€™d get to see Jennie, anā€™ mebbe you could help her. Mind, I ainā€™t hintinā€™ nothinā€™. Iā€™m just wantinā€™ to put her in your way. Youā€™re a man anā€™ can think fer yourself. I had a baby girl once, anā€™ if sheā€™d lived she be as big as Jennie now, anā€™, by Gawd, I wouldnā€™t want her here in Blandā€™s camp.ā€

ā€œIā€™ll go, Euchre. Take me over,ā€ replied Duane. He felt Euchreā€™s eyes upon him. The old outlaw, however, had no more to say.

In the afternoon Euchre set off with Duane, and soon they reached Blandā€™s cabin. Duane remembered it as the one where he had seen the pretty woman watching him ride by. He could not recall what she looked like. The cabin was the same as the other adobe structures in the valley, but it was larger and pleasantly located rather high up in a grove of cottonwoods. In the windows and upon the porch were evidences of a womanā€™s hand. Through the open door Duane caught a glimpse of bright Mexican blankets and rugs.

Euchre knocked upon the side of the door.

ā€œIs that you, Euchre?ā€ asked a girlā€™s voice, low, hesitatingly. The tone of it, rather deep and with a note of fear, struck Duane. He wondered what she would be like.

ā€œYes, itā€™s me, Jennie. Whereā€™s Mrs. Bland?ā€ answered Euchre.

ā€œShe went over to Degerā€™s. Thereā€™s somebody sick,ā€ replied the girl.

Euchre turned and whispered something about luck. The snap of the outlawā€™s eyes was added significance to Duane.

ā€œJennie, come out or let us come in. Hereā€™s the young man I was tellinā€™ you about,ā€ Euchre said.

ā€œOh, I canā€™t! I look soā€”soā€”ā€

ā€œNever mind how you look,ā€ interrupted the outlaw, in a whisper. ā€œIt ainā€™t no time to care fer thet. Hereā€™s young Duane. Jennie, heā€™s no rustler, no thief. Heā€™s different. Come out, Jennie, anā€™ mebbe heā€™llā€”ā€

Euchre did not complete his sentence. He had spoken low, with his glance shifting from side to side.

But what he said was sufficient to bring the girl quickly. She appeared in the doorway with downcast eyes and a stain of red in her white cheek. She had a pretty, sad face and bright hair.

ā€œDonā€™t be bashful, Jennie,ā€ said Euchre. ā€œYou anā€™ Duane have a chance to talk a little. Now Iā€™ll go fetch Mrs. Bland, but I wonā€™t be hurryinā€™.ā€

With that Euchre went away through the cottonwoods.

ā€œIā€™m glad to meet you, Missā€”Miss Jennie,ā€ said Duane. ā€œEuchre didnā€™t mention your last name. He asked me to come over toā€”ā€

Duaneā€™s attempt at pleasantry halted short when Jennie lifted her lashes to look at him. Some kind of a shock went through Duane. Her gray eyes were beautiful, but it had not been beauty that cut short his speech. He seemed to see a tragic struggle between hope and doubt that shone in her piercing gaze. She kept looking, and Duane could not break the silence. It was no ordinary moment.

ā€œWhat did you come here for?ā€ she asked, at last.

ā€œTo see you,ā€ replied Duane, glad to speak.

ā€œWhy?ā€

ā€œWellā€”Euchre thoughtā€”he wanted me to talk to you, cheer you up a bit,ā€ replied Duane, somewhat lamely. The earnest eyes embarrassed him.

ā€œEuchreā€™s good. Heā€™s the only person in this awful place whoā€™s been good to me. But heā€™s afraid of Bland. He said you were different. Who are you?ā€

Duane told her.

ā€œYouā€™re not a robber or rustler or murderer or some bad man come here to hide?ā€

ā€œNo, Iā€™m not,ā€ replied Duane, trying to smile.

ā€œThen why are you here?ā€

ā€œIā€™m on the dodge. You know what that means. I got in a shooting-scrape at home and had to run off. When it blows over I hope to go back.ā€

ā€œBut you canā€™t be honest here?ā€

ā€œYes, I can.ā€

ā€œOh, I know what these outlaws are. Yes, youā€™re different.ā€ She kept the strained gaze upon him, but hope was kindling, and the hard lines of her youthful face were softening.

Something sweet and warm stirred deep in Duane as he realized the unfortunate girl was experiencing a birth of trust in him.

ā€œO God! Maybe youā€™re the man to save meā€”to take me away before itā€™s too laterā€

Duaneā€™s spirit leaped.

ā€œMaybe I am,ā€ he replied, instantly.

She seemed to check a blind impulse to run into his arms. Her cheek flamed, her lips quivered, her bosom swelled under her ragged dress. Then the glow began to fade; doubt once more assailed her.

ā€œIt canā€™t be. Youā€™re onlyā€”after me, too, like Blandā€”like all of them.ā€

Duaneā€™s long arms went out and his hands clasped her shoulders. He shook her.

ā€œLook at meā€”straight in the eye. There are decent men. Havenā€™t you a fatherā€”a brother?ā€

ā€œTheyā€™re deadā€”killed by raiders. We lived in Dimmit County. I was carried away,ā€ Jennie replied, hurriedly. She put up an appealing hand to him. ā€œForgive me. I believeā€”I know youā€™re good. It was onlyā€”I live so much in fearā€”Iā€™m half crazyā€”Iā€™ve almost forgotten what good men are like, Mister Duane, youā€™ll help me?ā€

ā€œYes, Jennie, I will. Tell me how. What must I do? Have you any plan?ā€

ā€œOh no. But take me away.ā€

ā€œIā€™ll try,ā€ said Duane, simply. ā€œThat wonā€™t be easy, though. I must have time to think. You must help me. There are many things to consider. Horses, food, trails, and then the best time to make the attempt. Are you watchedā€”kept prisoner?ā€

ā€œNo. I could have run off lots of times. But I was afraid. Iā€™d only have fallen into worse hands. Euchre has told me that. Mrs. Bland beats me, half starves me, but she has kept me from her husband and these other dogs. Sheā€™s been as good as that, and Iā€™m grateful. She hasnā€™t done it for love of me, though. She always hated me. And lately sheā€™s growing jealous. There wasā€™ a man came here by the name of Spenceā€”so he called himself. He tried to be kind to me. But she wouldnā€™t let him. She was in love with him. Sheā€™s a bad woman. Bland finally shot Spence, and that ended that. Sheā€™s been jealous ever since. I hear her fighting with Bland about me. She swears sheā€™ll kill me before he gets me. And Bland laughs in her face. Then Iā€™ve heard Chess Alloway try to persuade Bland to give me to him. But Bland doesnā€™t laugh then. Just lately before Bland went away things almost came to a head. I couldnā€™t sleep. I wished Mrs. Bland would kill me. Iā€™ll certainly kill myself if they ruin me. Duane, you must be quick if youā€™d save me.ā€

ā€œI realize that,ā€ replied he, thoughtfully. ā€œI think my difficulty will be to fool Mrs. Bland. If she suspected me sheā€™d have the whole gang of outlaws on me at once.ā€

ā€œShe would that. Youā€™ve got to be carefulā€”and quick.ā€

ā€œWhat kind of woman is she?ā€ inquired Duane.

ā€œSheā€™sā€”sheā€™s brazen. Iā€™ve heard her with her lovers. They get drunk sometimes when Blandā€™s away. Sheā€™s got a terrible temper. Sheā€™s vain. She likes flattery. Oh, you could fool her easy enough if youā€™d lower yourself toā€”toā€”ā€

ā€œTo make love to her?ā€ interrupted Duane.

Jennie bravely turned shamed eyes to meet his.

ā€œMy girl, Iā€™d do worse than that to get you away from here,ā€ he said, bluntly.

ā€œButā€”Duane,ā€ she faltered, and again she put out the appealing hand. ā€œBland will kill you.ā€

Duane made no reply to this. He was trying to still a rising strange tumult in his breast. The old emotionā€”the rush of an instinct to kill! He turned cold all over.

ā€œChess Alloway will kill you if Bland doesnā€™t,ā€ went on Jennie, with her tragic eyes on Duaneā€™s.

ā€œMaybe he will,ā€ replied Duane. It was difficult for him to force a smile. But he achieved one.

ā€œOh, better take me off at once,ā€ she said. ā€œSave me without risking so muchā€”without making love to Mrs. Bland!ā€

ā€œSurely, if I can. There! I see Euchre coming with a woman.ā€

ā€œThatā€™s her. Oh, she mustnā€™t see me with you.ā€

ā€œWaitā€”a moment,ā€ whispered Duane, as Jennie slipped indoors. ā€œWeā€™ve settled it. Donā€™t forget. Iā€™ll find some way to

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