The Forfeit

ked more. They perhaps moved about more-in their customary leisurely fashion. But any approach to bus

of activity lasted just as long as their accomplishment required. In the interim its citizens returned to a slumber little less profound than that

g roughly some twenty miles west of the foothills of the Cathill Mountains,

possessed a thin, hooked nose of some dimensions, which never failed to cut a way for its owner into the shady secrets of his neighbors. He possessed a temper as amiable and mild as a

ver such stodgy callings as "dry goods." But besides the all-important thirst-quenching purpose of his establishment, it had become a sort of bureau for large and small transactions of a ranching nature, and

dshot eyes were speculative as he surveyed the smoke-laden scene from behind his shabby bar. The place was full of drinkers and gamblers. The hour was past

cularly refined but somewhat debauched appearance, was obviously interested in their talk, although he took no part in it. On the other side of them, away at the far end of the bar, leaned a solitary, tough-looking drinker, who seemed to take no interest whatever in his surroundings. Every man in th

at displayed a double row of gleaming white teeth. "The boss guessed I'd best wait around, so it ain't a heap o' use

n a committee racket, Curly," replied on

'emselves 'bout the hell goin' to be ladled out to all cattle thieves in general. Gives 'em visions of hangin'-bees, an' a sort o

ut the sort o' dope rustlers need. If us boys had the job we'd fix things quick. You'd see this bum gang kicking

ng face of the saloon-keeper. J

hrough, brushing his moustache aside to discover a place in which to deposit it in his mouth. "I'd sure hate to dope out any rotgut on you boys. Y'

s y

, and, as a result of his satisfaction, he

drops of liver souse,

s sure kill

curtain of moustache, lit it, and proceeded to

this darned old bar fer ten years, an' I guess for five of 'em I've listened to talk like yours-from fellers like you." He removed the bottle from which the three men had helped themselves to liberal "four fingers," and eyed their glasses askance. "Now, you're worritin' over this lousy Lightfoot gang. So was the others. So's everybody bin fer five years. An' fer fi

trict jest wher', when, an' how they darn please. See? You, Curly, are kickin' because your boss Dug McFarlane is too much of a gentleman. Wal, if I know a man from a seam-squirrel, I'd sure say Dug's got more savee in his whi

of the evening's entertainment. But the allusion to the Vigilance Committee's efforts brought them into attitudes of close attention. It drew

in' to do?" deman

gravatingly

layers across the room. "Why, what any bunch of savee s

orted in

it was to be

," sneered Dan. "How'

foot

et in the echo of an opponent's interroga

the cowpuncher retorted, with

princess with a crown o' jools. The only thing you're li'ble to have trouble over is the things Natur' fancies handin' you fer-nix. That an' hoss sense. That's pretty well the world to-day, no matter what the sky-pilots an' Sunday-school ma'ams dope out in their fancy literature. I know. You offer te

tion received an

e slim, lonely drinker,

n a flash, his walrus

id, with a calmness wh

glass down on the

red so many innocents in your time by purveying an excessive quantity of bluestone disguised under the name of alcohol that your overweening conceit has entirely distorted your perspective till

of debauchery in his good-looking face. Ju eyed him steadily. The offense of his words was mit

get this. When you get back home jest stand in front of a fi' cent mirror, if you got one in your bum shanty, an' get a peek at your map, an' ask yourself-when you studied it well-if I couldn't buy you, body an' soul, fer two thousand dollars-cash. I'd sure hate slingin' mud at any feller's features, much less yours, who're a good customer to me, but you're comin' the highbrow, an' you got notions of honor still floatin' around in your flabby thinkin' department sech as was handed you by the guys who ran that thousand dollar college. Wal, ef you'll look at yourself honest, an' argue with yourself honest, you'll find them things is su

disgust. And as he did so a harsh voice f

about

his demand with a laugh only a shad

ill as he regarded the powerful frame of his cha

d allus give yours

suggested something passionate and forceful. Just for a moment many eyes glanced in his direction. The saloon-keeper was steadily regarding him. There was no suggestion of anger in his attitude, merely

s, but because there was no man in Orrville capable of joining issue with him in debate with any hope of success. Action rather than words was the prevailin

r Sikkem took

*

aping up at a big notice pasted on the weather-boarding of the saloon-keeper's shack. Ju himself was standing in their midst, right in front of the notice, which had been indit

to the capture of the gang of cattle thieves known as the "Lightfoot gang." And it

somebody observed, in a confi

e instant, his lantern lowered from the level of the notice board. There w

k to the triumph which the notice had inspired. "Say, it's a great piece of money. It surely is some bunch. Ten thousand

their own eyes the force of all Ju had so recently contended came home to them. There was not one amongst that little gathering who did not realize the ex

ng in his doorway. The lantern was at his feet upon the sill. His hands were thrust in the tops of his shabby trousers. He wa

' I don't calc'late I'd get nightmare neither." Then he drew a deep breath which suggested regret. "But-it ain't comin' my way. No. Not by a sight

ought the face in the

ant of Judas,"

gang of murdering cattle rust

's blood money

lood that oug

out westward. Then his eyes came sl

price. You didn't like it. Well, when I find myself with

ely. And somehow much of the sharpness had gone out of his tone, and t

p. If you lose your grip that tow-colored scalp of yours'll be raised sure, an' every penicious breeze that blows 'll get into your think depot and hand you every sort of mental disease ther' ain't physic enough in the world to cure. Guess that's plumb right. It don't cut no ice what I think. A feller like me jest thinks the way life happens to boost him. Y'see, I ain't had no thousand dollar eddication to make me see things any other ways. Life's a mighty tough proposition an' it can't be run on no schedule, an' each

ecuring his door behind him. Then, with keen anticipation and enjoym

*

y,-away toward his outland home under the starlit roof of the plains. It was an almost nightly journe

essed no more conscience than any other habitual criminal. But his resentment was the weak echo of an upbringing which had n

ot of the Cathills, lay his homestead, and the wife for whom he had abandoned all that his birth had entitled him to

Bob. Such was his temper that only the gross outrages against the precepts of his youth remained. He only heard the hateful, detestable cynicism, brutally expressed. It was something curious how he only took n

hind him in the depths of some hidden trough in the waves of the prairie ocean, The great yellow disc of the moon had cut the horizon and lit

him to excite interest. To him there were simply miles intervening between him and the slumbers he was seeking. The prairi

uiet night itself. What was his price? All he knew about price was its payment. He had only been called upon to pay. And he had paid! My God, he had paid! All that had been his. All the wealth, the comfort, the luxury and prospects which had been his in his wealthy father

the more. He viciously detested Ju Penrose,

d Ju. Oh, yes, he would remind him. He would wait his time for the reminder. He would wa

was

rmly thrust forward. Its head was turned southward, and the gush of its distended nostrils warned its rider that his que

uthern night breeze. It was a low murmur, or rumble, and, to his accustomed ears, it suggested the speeding of hoofs over the g

sheen threw up the surrounding scene into indistinct relief. Beyond, to his right, he d

s by a belt of bush. He secured his horse and moved to the fringe of his shelter. Here he

felt it was a certainty that the rustlers were out pursuing their depredations with their customar

en into the distinct hoof beats of large numbers. Furthermore, by the sound of it, they

passing of a driven herd. It came on, losing itself in the shadows of a distant trough. Again it appeared. More distinct now. He whistled under his breath. They were com

etter to ascertain the numbers. But his estimate was uncertain. There were moments when the herd looked very large. There were mome

outhern breeze carried the sound away. It died out quickly, and for minutes longer tha

nd. A great resentment rose up in him. It was the natural temper of a man who is concerned, in however small a degree, in the cattle industry. And his anger urge