The Rangeland Avenger

ily on tap in Riley's nature. "Hossflesh" to Riley was purely and simply a means to an end. Neither had he paused to enjoy that mystery of change which comes over mountain

an easy descent. Riley took thorough stock of his surroundings, for it was a new country. Yonder, where the slant sun g

ses began in the foothills and thickened toward Sour Creek. How could men remain there, where ther

's head lift. As a rule the horse comes in for as much attention as the rider, but when Riley Sinclair came near, people saw the man and nothing else.

in that hard age between thirty and thirty-five when people are still young, but have lost the illusions of

Then, having established the taut rein which he preferred, he sent the cow pony down the slope. It was plain that the mustang hated its rider; it was equally plain that Sinclair was in perfect touch with his horse, what with the stern wrist pulling against th

it, and each time, as it came again more closely in view, the eye of Riley Sinclair brightened with certainty. At length, nodding slightly to express his conviction, he sent the pony into the shelter of a little grove overlooking the house. From this shelter, still giving hal

ushed the horse into a position from which he commanded all the enviro

end of the path and slowly gathered the reins. Plainly he was troubled, and apparently it was the big man who had troubled him. For now he turned and cast out his hand toward the other, speaking rapidly, in the manner of one making a last appeal

pletely out of place in a saddle. When the pony presently broke into a soft lope it caused the elbows of the lit

a sharp gallop. Strangers do not pass ungreeted in the mountain desert. There was a wave of the arm to Riley, and he responded by bringing his horse to a trot, then reining in close to the big man. At close hand he

ur hoss through a gr

d into a position of r

, "when I climb into a saddle it ain'

e quality of that deep voice, he had an impersonal way of looking his interlocutor squarely in the eye, a habit that pleased the men of the mountain desert. On th

ng out of the saddle f

ty fair hooch

r to Sour Creek by night. I guess

w to the

t of

arger man. His rather brutally handsome face continued to light, a

from y

the mo

ravel

hat he would put much extra weight on a horse. The only concession to animal comfort, in fact, was the slicker rolled snugly behind the saddle. He was one of those rare Westerners to whom coffee on the trail is not the staff of life.

gent I'm down here loo

w Ollie Quade-

know hi

dly "You see, I'm carrying hi

his eyes grown suddenly alert, his glance shift

vein. "I come from a gent that used to

imed the other. "Yo

ith him when he died,"

he other heavi

retty thick with hi

de. Lowrie wa

r, raising an eager face

boots off-everyth

ou a messa

striving to recollect accurately. Covertly he sent a side glance at Quade and found him scowling suspiciously. When h

Sinclair?" ask

wrie's conscience," said Riley

on't s

sted his leg in a hole. The fall smashed up Sinclair's foot. The four of you went on, Sinclair riding one hoss, and the rest of you taking turns with the third one. Without water the hosses got weak, and you gents got pretty badly scared, Lowrie said. Finally you and Sandersen figured that

not the slightest emotion in his face until Quade rubbed his knuckles acro

sure raving,

uade. "I guess maybe he was, but what he asked me to

uade. "Waited till he could shift the blame o

aid Sinclair, shrugging. "But I'

hat story around in Sour C

ld me confidential by a gen

nner disarmed Qu

you're fixed up sort of comfortable up here. Nice little shack, partner. And

tunity to change the subje

p here al

e! W

maybe you'd find i

tence of a guilty conscience. "Say," he said, "while we're ta

e he was raving. So you're al

ot a soul in sight. The mountains were growing stark and black aga

d Lowrie ha

got

gang dr

just on

with a gun-next to Bill Sandersen, the best I eve

e killed

sped. "S

ur

w c

r, and he figured that Riley had come to get him for what happened to his brother, Hal. Lowrie got sort of excited, lost

a pile," said Qu

ir." Still he smiled, but Quade

. I had to make sure that you was guil

ed around the butt of h

l shaking, Quade, and you couldn't hit the side of the mountain, let alone me. Wait

d his white li

I been wondering how Hal felt when you and the other two left him alone. You know, a ge

s quite con

ute he heard my name he figured I was after him on account of Hal. Up he comes with his gun like a flash. Afterward

u!" excla

he desert! You hear? It's a queer thing that a gent could have much pleasure out of plugging another gent full of lead. I've had t

Riley Sinclair's weapon, slipping smoothly into his hand. Quade did not fall. He stood with a bewildered expression, as a man trying to remember something hidden f

out dismounting and pulled

he moment before, "when the devil comes to you, I want

eek he carefully and deftly cleaned his