e truth of the assertion, and turned over in his
mind how shrewdly the fellow had guessed him to be a hunted man.

"My name's Luke Stevens, an' I hail from the river. Who're you?" said
this stranger.

Duane was silent.

"I reckon you're Buck Duane," went on Stevens. "I heerd you was a damn
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. Here was proof of how
swiftly facts about gun-play traveled on the Texas border.

"Wal, Buck," said Stevens, in a friendly manner, "I ain't presumin' on
your time or company. I see you're headin' fer the river. But will you
stop long enough to stake a feller to a bite of grub?"

"I'm out of grub, and pretty hungry myself," admitted Duane.

"Been pushin' your hoss, I see. Wal, I reckon you'd better stock up
before you hit thet stretch of country."

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 whisky,
but not without grub. Thet's what makes it so embarrassin' travelin'
these parts dodgin' your shadow. Now, I'm on my way to Mercer. It's
a little two-bit town up the river a ways. I'm goin' to pack out some
grub."

Stevens's tone was inviting. Evidently he would welcome Duane's
companionship, but he did not openly say so. Duane kept silence,
however, and then Stevens went on.

"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 damn good man to travel alone any length of time. Why, I've been
thet sick I was jest achin' fer some ranger to come along an' plug me.
Give me a pardner any day. Now, mebbe you're not thet kind of a
feller, an' I'm shore not presumin' to ask. But I just declares myself
sufficient."

"You mean you'd like me to go with you?" asked Duane.

Stevens grinned. "Wal, I should smile. I'd be particular proud to be
braced with a man of your reputation."

"See here, my good fellow, that's all nonsense," declared Duane, in some
haste.

"Shore I think modesty becomin' to a youngster," replied Stevens. "I
hate a brag. An' I've no use fer these four-flush cowboys thet 're
always lookin' fer trouble an' talkin' gun-play. Buck, I don't know much
about you. But every m