The Man of the Forest

ng in gold and red and green; and the man who glided on under the great trees seemed

last glow of the setting sun. Then, as the fire dropped behind the domed peak, a change, a col

nd feet above sea-level, isolated on all sides by the southern Arizona desert-the virgin home of elk and d

following shortly after sundown. Twilight appeared to come on its wi

m which rose a faint murmur of running water. Its music was pierced by the wild staccato yelp of a hunting coyote. From overhead in the giant fir c

to hear the clipclop of white men's horses-which to hear up in those fastnesses was hateful to him. He and the Indian were friends. That fierce

s in the curves of the brook shone darkly bright. Dale's gaze swept up and down the valley, and then tried to pierce the black shadows across the brook where the wall of spruce stood up, its speared and spi

set in. He approached with caution. This cabin, like the few others scattered in the valleys, might harbor Indians or a bear or a panther. Nothing, however, appeared to be there. Then

. Five horses with riders, Dale made out-saw them loom close. Then he heard rough voices. Quickly he turned to feel in the dark for a ladder he knew led to a loft; and finding it, he quickly mounted, taking car

e you here?" quer

elow growled under his breath

et," he called. "Put the hosse

reply. "Mebbe all night-

anythin' but eatin'. Put them hosses away

ith dull thuds of hoofs and strain o

clinking footstep

to fetch a pack along,

an' what's the use hollerin'? Be

his gang, long notorious in that sparsely settled country. And the Beasley mentioned-he was one of the two biggest ranchers and sheep-raisers of the White Mountain ranges. What was the meaning of a rendezvous between S

entered

," said one. Then came a crash

of pine log, dry as

obability that Jim was knocking the end of a log upon the ground to s

pipe, an' I'll hev

an' I ain't carin' abou

eanest cuss in these

ld of Jim's efforts to start a fire. Presently the pitchy blackness of the cabin changed; t

was fairly well able to see the men below. The only one he had ever seen was Jim Wilson, who had been well known at Pine before Snake Anson had ever

eared as broad as he was black-visaged. "Fall's

my saddle-bag, an' if you git it you c

led out wi

pent-like, his eyes glittered, and his long neck and al

here deal with Bea

do," replied the leader. He

hin'?" queried the youngest of the gang, a boy in years, whose hard,

oze out. "Snake, snow 'll be flyin' round these woods before long," said Jim

ridin' before we strike sou

cture Moze

hoss comin' up th

g. Outside the wind moaned fitfully and sc

laimed Snake

cky trail outside. The men below shuffled uneasily, but none of them spoke. The fire cracked cheerily

se had halted ou

!" called a voice

elf!" rep

e?" quickly fol

turned Anson, s

l down, shadowed his face, so that the upper half of his features might as well have been masked. He had a black, dro

backed out on the other deal. Sent for you on-

nificant gesture that Snake'

. Moze, you an' Shady an' Burt go wait outside. Reckon this

ut, all glancing keenly at the strang

son, low-voiced. "What's your gam

d to the fire, stretchin

o with sheep,

e way you kept me waitin' an' ridin' around. We waited near all day at Big Spring. Then thet

I did you'd not mind-when I tell you this deal conce

ole frame. Wilson, likewise, bent forward eagerly.

ms he has no one else.... Them ranches-an' all them sheep an' hosses! You know me an' Al were pardners in sheep-raisin' for years. He swore I cheated him an' he threw me out. An' a

he blaze. Anson leaned forward, like a serpent ready to strike, a

the sixteenth. That's a week from to-morrow. She'll take the stage t

as Beasley halted again

ever get as fa

old up the stage-

act

n' wha

over his property. Then the girl can come back, for all I care.... You an' Wilson fix up the deal between you. If you have to let the gang in o

sley, the weak point in your game is the uncerta

lared Beasley, with such positive

last seen him.... Beasley, in case I pl

y. "She's twenty years old. All of them Auchinclos

one I ain't fancyin'.... But I never doubted your w

Why, it was never held up.... But you want to mask.... How a

on whist

itory?" repeated Snake

ve sa

but you can count on me.... September sixteenth at

out two weeks. Later, if the weather holds good

led on his gloves and pulled down his sombrero, and wi

make of him?" qu

eat two ways for Sun

get back to camp." A

king hoofs, and after that a steady trot, gradually ceasing. Once more