The Rustlers of Pecos County

treet of Sanderson, made observations and got information likely to serve me a

rs. This stage did not go to Linrock, but I had found

er down were two buckboards, with horses that took my eye. These pro

tel. Wright saw me, and making an almost impe

cowboy Rus

s striking a figure as I had noted by night, b

me some bills. "Miss Sampson won't

his is the first I'v

just gave me the money-told me to pay you off.

s politely, that my seeing her, ev

ent, and I went directly up to them, to be greeted in a

ss," there was not the slightest discoverable

e knew nothing of Wright's

n dismay, "what have I do

ked ast

on't under

oken. "I haven't had a chance yet. I wanted so much to work fo

ed Miss Sampson, he

the money. "Mr. Wright just came to me-said you sent

tle exclamation. Miss Sampson seemed sca

Mr. Wright

ed veh

strode before me, practi

le before we start," he said g

, I think there's a mistake-perhaps a misunderstanding. Here's the cowboy I'v

of red in his cheek. "We-you don't need him out at the ranch. We've any numbe

r amaze, then distinct disappointment, and then she lifted her head with a kind of

t Cousin George to dis

colonel, with a laugh. "George

customed to attending to my own affairs and shall continue doing so. Russ, I'm s

to Linrock wit

with Sally and me

lly, and they walked to

a grim enjoyment in

s, George," he said. "You'v

Sampson temper, and I took him to be a

" he said, hard and dark, leaning

orld like a young and frightened cowboy, "If

Wright hardly knew what to make of my boyish spee

rely different glance f

as caustic as the most reckles

pon Wright. Then they both regarded me wi

ard the colonel say. "You'll get in bad with the w

ellows engaged my

ey were the roistering type, hard drinkers, devil-may-care fellows, packing g

was high, there was room left for cowboys

to look at me, and his thin mouth slanted down as he looked. Brick

nd his cowboys. But it did not matter; under any circumsta

een friction right then had n

ggage, Russ

ys had mounted their horses, Colonel Sampson was in the one buckboard w

owing like a Texas weed. We had not any too much room in the b

out into the open, on to a wide, hard-packed ro

ins I had noted yesterday, and to our right slo

d rapidly. We were close behind Colonel Sampson, who, from his vehement ge

d were speculating upon Linrock, and what it would be like. Occasionally I asked the driver a question, and some

ranches grew further apart, until, twelve or fifteen miles out of Sanderson

rised to see a goodly volume of water. It evident

but it was high and thick, and considering the immense are

ho were riding after stock, and the third at a small cluster of adobe and stone houses, constituting a hamlet the driver called S

d Linrock, a green path in the mass of gray. For

hat time in the early 'seventies, when the vast western third of Texas was a wildern

ttle, and farther on, within a few miles of town, there were droves of

said, waving a hand at the gray-green expans

nd her cousin for on

said the driver, poi

see that Colonel Sampson's ranch w

round Linrock, and it was not high, nor more t

what appeared to be fully an acre of ground. All was green about it except

got out of the buckboard and waited for us. His face wore the best expression I had seen

. I got out and offered my sea

red, or even noticed at all, and I took a

dy outskirts of Linrock and I entered the town with mi

a main one. There were small, red

lf a mile. I crossed a number of intersecting streets, met ch

al blocks till I came to a tree-bordered plaza. On the far side opened

eele, wondering how I would know him if we did meet. But I believed I could ha

n the stone sidewalk. I passed a grain store, a hardware store, a g

ave done credit to a small town even in eastern Texas. Here was evidence of

els. Saddled horses stood hitched all along the sidewalk in two long lines, with a bu

no different from other frontier towns,

ranch. The driver boy, whom I had heard called Dick, was looking for

d so old that the adobe bricks were worn smooth by rain and

trip from Del Rio. For the sake of the young ladies, I was glad t

om, very satisfactory indeed to me. I asked about bunk-house

son has a big

ow many cowboys. They're always comin' an'

nt of stock

vin'," he replied

stl

up that look with the

ce, I hear-

as Sanderson, b

down there was talking about

Bean an' Brick Higgins-they belon

ther channels. It appeared that Miss Sampson had not left any instructions f

s down at the bunks; and as I had been given a room at th

n that it would be strange if Miss Sampson did not love her new home, and if her cousin did not enjoy her sojo

down to the town with the

inquiries and must approach him secretly

ain street. When darkness set in I went into a hotel,

rough crude exterior, but the inside was comp

going-a dusty-booted crowd th

most of the guests had been or were going. I found a great square room lighted by six

umored to be owned by the mayor of Linrock. This was the only gambling place of any size in southern T

ers were too common in Linrock to be conspicuous. B

I wen

an hour in a strange town, or walk a block along a dark s

is luck. But it was my private opinion that things gra

ing in Linrock it appeared, despite my vigilance an

tle dingy restaurant, out of which at the moment, a tall, dark form passed. It disappear

hole town's talkin' about-

in the shadow, wher

din' heah, is he

es

hurt your bu

these days. An' he's offered to rent that old 'dobe of mine just out of town. Y

s he expec

I never seen none. Nice, quiet,

out heah. He's after s

ow he says: 'Where does Sampson live?' I asked him if he was goin' to make a call on our mayo

ell he

en he got up from the steps and went into the restaurant and was followed by the man call

would scrape acquaintance w

eele. I hurried ahead. While I had been listening back the

ke. Concluding that it did not matter I hurried on in an endeavor to reach t

sing. There was not a person in sight in the wide courts or on the p

a sitting room, and it had clean white walls, a blanketed floor, an open fireplace with a cheery blazing log, and a large table u

eps coming up the road. But I heard only S

down. A door stood open and through it I saw a room identical with that at the other cor

back to the road to intercept Steele. Scarcely had I retraced my steps and seated m

ooking all around, halted some twenty paces distant, surv

giant! But his face was hidde

did not. He affected me strangely, or perhaps it was my emotion at the tho

t home?" he a

id,

ll see Vaughn S

ot want to take up any time the

ode down the porch and entered

me to state my errand. But I wanted to

eased. I saw no face except

ger-come to see you

his face almost imperceptibly blanch? I could not have sw

Wright, a sibilant intake of breath, that did not seem to denote surpris

nd for silence as well as an assertion that he would attend to this matte

me. Did he stat

r." I r

said Sampson presently, ben

eone slammed th

nd worked swiftly; the machinery had be

ampson says he's not at home. Te

e parlor door. Miss Sampson opened it. She wore white. Looking at her, I thought it w

is Vaughn Steele t

me in?" she s

ent in with him, an intrusion, perhaps, that in th

with blue or gray eyes, strangely penetrating. He was coatless, vestless. He wore a gra

neither his great stature nor his striking face accounted for some

ampson. "This is my cousin, Sally Langdon. We just

h a kind of rude grace, and showed no sign of embarr

you in Austin," said Sally

us of Steele. But this girl was a li

ampson. He would not see me. I was to tell my business to his daughter. I'm glad

ed both girl

ty rough-no place for

ampson. "Strange that papa would not see you. Stranger that he should w

ales of this-this roughness out here. He knows I'm in earnest, how I'd

our father's coope

r Ranger duty-the arrest

detail. Linrock is bad interna

son warmly. "I wish you success. But, Mr. Steel

answered

ou-presumably refused to cooperate

it tha

do?" she asked seriously. "I heard papa say that he was the law in Linrock. Perhaps he resents interfere

alked about Linrock. What he said was old

and grave, turned into one of incredulous amaze. She, and

t betrayed how he worked his way; and his fine face, losing its stern, hard lines, seemed to glow and give forth a spirit austere, yet noble, almost gentle, assu

of outlaws-a man who'd rather

Steele's face. It was as if he

ous, I am sorry t

n?" she asked, her

? His face became a mask. It told truth to me

that. Don't-don't

d been right in my estimate of her character-young, untried, but al

ed to see the white gleam of her beauty, and

e overexcited. I didn't mean to be inquisitive. Thank you for your confidence. I've enj

bowing to her and Sally, the Ranger we

t up with Steele and walked out

g with the desire to surprise him, to earn his approval. He loomed dark above me, appe

Sampson, I could not think him cold. But I must have th

shade of cottonwoods, he clampe

sn't she lovely!

dumbfounded I had t

didn't swea

were my first wor

the street looking for me," he said. "I

d that strong feel a

id. "But did you look at the cous

ghed and lo

somewhere. I've a mill

e moonlight, and there, sitting in the sand, our backs against a res

with them; of the spying on Colonel Sampson; Neal's directions, advice, and command; the ride toward San Antonio; my being engaged as cowboy by Miss Sampson; of the f

even for me, and my

cky to get you," said

only praise, but the quiet way he spoke it ma

sent," I went on, glad to be

surprise. Besides,

he worth of the Rangers. And the work he's given his life to-th

enough. Then I wait

rustling the greasewood; a dog bayed a bark

to Linrock, meeting Steele had not changed my feelings toward her, only som

yet I did not feel it. "You've made a better start than I could hav

long as you last. I don't suppose you'll last long. You have got to get in with this g

care how you play the part, so long as you make friends, lea

rnish you with the money. You'd better appear to be a winni

replied. "I hate to lie to Miss

aven't got

just like Miss Sampson-think she's fine-could look up t

nce a man. "It's no decent job. You'll be ashamed before her. So would I. But here

ng with Miss Sampson's

beyond us, Russ, or above suspicion. You've a great opportu

too good-natured to uphold law in a wild country. And his Southern pride would fire

d gleaming in the moon

love with her-you'll no

m positi

likely have need of a new

g about Sampson-something

he has a sixth sense. Mine seldom fails me. I never yet faced the criminal who didn't somehow betray fear-not so

ng I imagined I had s

pson came out here,"

hat feeling. He was looking ou

that he was thinking of the beautiful girl to