d; and it was spent with the abandon
that spoke forcibly of easy and crooked acquirement. Duane decided
that Sanderson, Bradford, and Ord were but notorious outposts to this
Fairdale, which was a secret center of rustlers and outlaws. And what
struck Duane strangest of all was the fact that Longstreth was mayor
here and held court daily. Duane knew intuitively, before a chance
remark gave him proof, that this court was a sham, a farce. And he
wondered if it were not a blind. This wonder of his was equivalent to
suspicion of Colonel Longstreth, and Duane reproached himself. Then
he realized that the reproach was because of the daughter. Inquiry had
brought him the fact that Ray Longstreth had just come to live with her
father. Longstreth had originally been a planter in Louisiana, where his
family had remained after his advent in the West. He was a rich rancher;
he owned half of Fairdale; he was a cattle-buyer on a large scale. Floyd
Lawson was his lieutenant and associate in deals.

On the afternoon of the fifth day of Duane's stay in Fairdale he
returned to the inn from his usual stroll, and upon entering was amazed
to have a rough-looking young fellow rush by him out of the door. Inside
Laramie was lying on the floor, with a bloody bruise on his face. He did
not appear to be dangerously hurt.

"Bo Snecker! He hit me and went after the cash-drawer," said Laramie,
laboring to his feet.

"Are you hurt much?" queried Duane.

"I guess not. But Bo needn't to have soaked me. I've been robbed before
without that."

"Well, I'll take a look after Bo," replied Duane.

He went out and glanced down the street toward the center of the town.
He did not see any one he could take for the innkeeper's assailant. Then
he looked up the street, and he saw the young fellow about a block away,
hurrying along and gazing back.

Duane yelled for him to stop and started to go after him. Snecker broke
into a run. Then Duane set out to overhaul him. There were two motives
in Duane's action--one of anger, and the other a desire to make a friend
of this man Laramie, whom Duane believed could tell him much.

Duane was light on his feet, and he had a giant stride. He gained
rapidly upon Snecker, who, turning this way and that, could not get
out of sight. Then he took to the open country and ran straight for
the green hill where Longstreth's house stood. Duane had almost caught
Snecker when he reached the shrubbery and trees and there eluded h