The Texan A Story of the Cattle Country

he side-saddle with disgust. "Dat damn t'ing,

aused in the darkened hallway to stare at the crack of

' wit' 'omen." He made a wr

and for a moment eyed the half

uarest Injun that ever swung a rope. But Injun or white, you're a man,

ak' you com' 'l

es galavantin' 'round the country

bor' some pants for ride de horse. Me, A'm gon' git nudd

you come back she'll be ready." Jennie Dodds slipped from the room as the outer door closed upon the half-br

. "Bat's right. Them side-saddles is sure th

ur things this way!" She reached for her purse. "I'

need in that. It'll tie on behind your saddle, an' you can leave the rest of your stuff here in your grip an I'll ship it on when you're ready for it. Better leave them night-gowns an' corsets an' such like here. You ain't goin' to find no use for 'em ou

rail and when the "war-bag" was packed and tied with a stout

here's a pocket for it in the bloomers. Cinnabar Joe give it to me a long time ago. Take care of yourself an' don't be afraid t

ough the door, leaned swiftly and ki

glance of approval at her costume, took the bag from her hand and proceeded to secure it behind the cantle. The girl mounted wit

e past the darkened buildings of ranches nestled beside the creeks, and once they passed a band of sheep camped near the trail. The moonlight showed a sea of grey, woolly backs, and on a near-by knoll stood a white-covered camp-wagon, with a tiny lantern burning at the end of the tongue. A pair of hobbled ho

n' stretch you leg. Me, A'm mak' de blanket on de groun' an' you

ets beside the trail and walking a short distance aw

d weeks ago. The dizzy whirl of events that had snatched her from the beaten path and deposited her somewhere out upon the rim of the world had come upon her so suddenly and with such stupendous import that it beggared any attempt to forecast its outcome. With a shudder she recalled the moment upon the verge of the bench when in a flash she had realized the true character of Purdy and her own utter helplessness. With a great surge of gratitude-and-was it only gratitude-this admiration and pride in the achievement of the man who had rushed to her rescue? Alone there in the darkness the girl flushed to the roots of her hair as she realized that it was for this man she had unhesitatingly and unquestioningly ridden far into the night in company with an unknown Indian. Real

ees. A sombre figure, and one that fitted intrinsically into the scene-the dark shapes of the three horses that snipped grass beside the trail, the soft murmur of the waters of the creek as they purled over the stones, the black wall of the coulee, with the mountains risi

ock and stood alert with his eyes on the reach of the back-trail. And then softly, almost inaudibl

the three horses and slip noiselessly into the shelter of a bunch of scrub willo

' 'long. Me, A'm gon' for look." With the words the man blended into the sh

of the horses' feet changed to a syncopated shuffle as the animals made the steep descent. At the edge of the creek they paus

xt moment a voice which the girl recognized a

catch the answer but at the next words of the Texan she sta

ahead of 'em, which little item the future prosperity of all concerned, as the fellow says, depends on-not only the hangee here

ce rushed to the side of Endicott who had reined

ed joyfully. "Then they

rtainly thought my time had come, when friend Tex here gave the word to throw off the rope." The girl flas

. "I think you are just splendid! And I'll never, nev

Bat's got that horse packed an' as soon as Winthrup, there, can crawl up the side of that bronc we better be hittin' the trai

ot to the stirrup, and the Tex

shot her a glance of approval as he watched her mount, for well he knew that she

side. An occasional backward glance revealed the clumsy efforts of the pilgrim to ease

either will she. There's the makin's of a couple of good folks wasted in them two pilgrims," and he frowned darkly at the recollection of the note of genuine relief and gladness with which the girl had greeted Endicott; a frown that deepen

ne 'oman. She got, w'

e Texan surlily, "or that there tongue of yourn

raight for the mountains that loomed out of the darkness. On and on he rode, keeping wherever possible to the high

eep coulees to their sources and crossing steep-pitched divides into other coulees. The fences of the nesters were left far behind and following old game trails, or no trails at all, the Texan pushed unhesitatingly forward. At last, just as

e, thought the girl, as she sank into the foot-thick mattress of pine boughs that underlay the blankets, had a bed felt so comfortable, so absolutely satisfying. But her conscious enjoyment of its comfort was short-lived for the sounds of men and horses, and the low soughing of the wind i

dishes, the while he regarded the cowpuncher shre

" he asked at length. The Texan finished washing the tin plates, dried his hands,

e a spell. You recollect them four bits, back in Las Vegas-" The half-breed interrupted him with a grin and

mooch chance to f

hooch you can bet someone's going to leak it out that there wasn't no reg'lar bony-fido hangin' bee. That'll start a posse, an' that's why we got to stay cached good an' tight till this kind of blows ove

reed, "de, w'at you call, de jury, dey say 'turn

reasons over an' above what I've orated, why the pilgrim is goin' to be treated to a good lib'ral dose of the rough stuff. If he comes through, he'll stack up

lak' de pilgrim more'n you. But mebbe-so you show heem up for w'at you call, de yellow, you git her 'way, but-me, A'm no lak' I see her git harm." With which declaration the half