The Rustlers of Pecos County

l of new life. Wonderful it was for me to t

grown hot. Dew like diamond drops sparkled on the leaves and grass.

ay westward in rolling ridges and hollows, like waves to mee

tood three saddled horses that would have gladdened any eye. I w

had flattered myself there had been occasions for thought, but scornfully

eal self seemed to stand off and skep

black velvet shirt, much affected by the Indians, an embroidered buckskin vest, corduroys, and fringed cha

Steele vowed I w

fatuation for Sally, I never could have carried on that part

the ridicule of gamblers, the badinage of the young bucks of the settlement-these I ha

y earned, though the constant advent of stra

he hotels and resorts, shamming a weakness for drink, gambling, lounging, making fr

I lived in the eyes of Dian

her cousin George, and new-made friends in town had come to he

to have me mend my vicious ways. She believed what sh

h her. By turns Sally was indifferent to me, cold

er breathed her conviction. She championed me. I wanted to tell her the truth about

ity. She had never said she cared

affected my loyalty and duty to Vaughn Steele. Day by day I had

had not been rewarded by anything calculated to strengthen our suspicions of Sampson. But th

et see that he was anything but an honest rancher, deeply involved with Sampson

a gambler not above stacking the cards,

; if he had to address me for something, which was seldom, he did it harshly, like ordering a dog. Whenever I saw his sinister, handsome

and actions. He was Sampson's partner, and at the head of a small group o

ade any thorough investigation into their bus

at the presence of Vaughn Steele. But it was my opinion that th

course, had preceded him. A company of militia could not have had th

e false. He was lightning swift on the draw. It was death

of King Fisher, the most notorious of Texas desperadoes. His nerve, his

with which I had begun to affiliate myself, but also a very decided checkin

stay in Linrock he was not often seen in town. At the tabl

' fer somebody? Who's goin' to draw on him fust-an' go to hell

hen it leaked out somewhere that Steele was openly cultivating the honest stay-at-home citizens, to array them

it that Jack Blome, the gunman of those parts, was coming in to meet Steele. Part

went. The drinking, gambling, fighting in the resorts seemed to

s, rumors of a gang of rustlers off here, a hold-up of the stage off her

strangely neither Steele nor I had yet been able to associate

of waiting we had become alive to activity around us, and th

Steele had to have a care for his life.

s and possibilities was brought to an end b

l riding costume, in which her trim, shapely figure showe

gly at me. I had dropped off the fence, sombrero in hand. I kn

promise to me?" she

bright eyes upon me, rather than Miss

ng drunk aga

t break

ing place last night, drunk, staggering, mixin

to say that he has a strange wish to lower me in the eye

you drunk?"

sk me that. Didn't you ever see a

knew I stood, fresh, clean-sh

thing she had ever asked of me was not to drink.

mpson replied. "I don't know what to think. They tell me thi

n, did I eve

my kno

er, and she unders

ay at Sanderson. And since, to

would not call yo

with the bridle rein of

u. Burt Waters told me the same," said Sally nervo

All right, I won't say a word about him. B

" she replied in reluct

lf, but you don't believe even that. I'm pretty bad. I never denied the scraps, the gambling-all that. But I did do

rmed and Sally turned p

a cowboy, who had been held back from spilling

ed Sally. "Diane,

feel like a villain. "I won't discharge you. I need you. Sally needs you. After all, it's none of my business what

e myself anew. Yet the situation was delic

been tolerably straight here, trying to please you. Lately I have been going to the bad again

What tr

with me," I went on hurriedl

Sampson made it easier for me by reas

y about her. Here I've got to see these fellow

ou don't have to tell!" cried

or another. I've been in earnest. I

pted Sally furiously. Th

a passion to be earnest, yet tingling with t

idn't ask anything," she replied, with a

e? Say you didn't believe I could take th

d at her horse, made the quickest kind

alled back over her shoulde

understand many things now. Sally is a flirt. She would drive any man mad. Russ, I've grown in a short time to like

in the open, and giving her mount his head. Even had I wanted to overhaul her at

she made no weight in the saddle, and she could ride.

trying to catch her. Sally loved a hor

Sally. Miss Sampson enjoyed riding, too; but she was not a

aring somewhere on the horizon. This morning I wanted her to enjoy to the

Miss Sampson had liberat

lue, no scene so open, free, and enchanting as that beautiful gray-green range, no wind so swee

histled as I went by; jack-rabbits bounded away to hide in the longer clum

leak mountains. They were always mysterious t

ess of the deadly nature of my business there on the frontier, a business in such

d of my disguise. Any moment

here tired out, and satisfied with her victory, she awaited me. I was in no hur

my regretted exhibition before her cousin? There

od, with some little difference never before no

t time," she said. "Ten mil

ad. I've had my troubles bea

ery in regard to her riding, a

room to ride a horse. Just look. Miles and miles of level, of green. Little hills with black bunches of t

getting to me,"

waves of ground in the distance. On these rides with her I had

n scenery. Looking at her now I tried to get again

e instead of mocking light, she seemed only prettier than usual. I got down ost

and read it as her soft mood of dangerous sweetness that came so seldom, mingled wit

nice to tell Dian

ted. "But now I understand my miserable feeling

rested upon her knee very near to me. I took it in mine. She let it

urmured. "But the lie. Jeal

" I said, trying to make her look at me. "

word-you hinted of?" she queried. "Diane belie

ich is the same thing, how'd you take my actions? I hope

ny more about the other fellows. The change, the difference was now marked.

actions. Anyway, now I'll make them plain. I was bes

ching her face I gave her a slow and gentle pull, one she could easily

ssed me of her own accord. She was abashed, yet yielding; she let herself go, yet seemed

me go. He

saddle, although not

d me anything," I remonstrat

so," she

ill you m

sat erect and faced away from

presently said

burst out, and then stopped, s

ou, not even your last name. You're not a-a steady fellow. You drink, gamble, fight. You'll kill somebody yet. Then I'll not

ope and happiness died in it. Swiftly

es such a difference. They are not in earnest. But, Ru

I'd no right to ask you to m

things about you are splendid, you're such a man, that's why I cared. But you gamble. You drink-and I hate that.

pain, was such sweet assurance that she did love me, better t

ttle? Will you give me a chance? After

! Russ, are you ask

dearest. Trust

s? Or are you what George calls you-a drunken cowb

ave it. At that moment mention of George

e character Wright gave me was scarcely worse than what I had chosen to represe

o trust me in spite

great deal,"

this-you'll wait. And while you wait, pro

," she declared in girlish earnestness, her voice rising. "I'll pr

ngdon showed then in her appeal. That appeal was as strong as the drawing power of her lit

ned I saw on her tremulous lips! But I was bound. The grim, dark nature of my enterprise

ly who I was, what my errand was, after the truth. But

intment seemed keen. Then a little scorn of cer

e," I protested lamely, and I knew I w

n't make any more love to me, please, unless you want me to laugh at you. And d

as the perverse side of her, the cat using he

ve to you again. And I'll stand it if I happen to see Waters kiss you, or any other d

poken before, in quick, fierce

hint did not chill her anger. Tossi

ranch. When we reached the corrals she dismounted and, turning her horse over

mood to live up to what had been

ated before the town hall. There was a babel of voices and an air of excitement that I immediately

Once inside the door I saw that the crowd was mostly o

ewing his mustache-the third, Wright, whose dark and sinister face

houting excitedly in unison with the crowd outside. I did not try t

him sat a thick-set grizzled man, with deep

a drooping, sandy mustache. Conspicuous on his vest was a hug

everal whose faces were familiar, and ha

o that he faced them all. His hair was disheveled, an

nstant that the long deferred action, th

o be heard. Mayor or not, he was un

tterances before quiet was restored I gathered that Ste

break in here for?

ated Steele. His voice was so clear and loud, almost piercing

ke flint he seemed, yet I

him stand out before this crowd as the real may

ith assault on Jim Hoden and attempted robbery-if not murder. Snell

ken man if there ever was one. He had been a hanger-on round t

cond glance I saw that he was pale. There was blood on his fa

ng sentence of Steele's speech. Then I felt sure I had corre

Bud? Get up and speak for you

he had shuffled forward a few steps toward the mayor. He

re come in from the hall an' hit him an' wrastled him on the floor. Then this big Ranger grabbed me an' f

ied Sampson. "I call to your mind the fact that you on

threat or menace in Sampson's reminder? Hoden rose from the be

d broken in health and spirit. He ha

ged me here. I told him I didn't take my troubles to

rtone to Judge Owens, and that wo

d Sampson bluntly. "Now, the

his rebuff to Steele's advances, his slap i

s nonchalance, his air of finality, his authoritative assurance-these to my keen and practiced eyes were i

Texas Ranger. If he had intelligence and remembered Steele's fame, whic

y of Sampson gathered an impressi

t broke the silence, shuffled a

!" calle

ed Snell as if it had been a

said Steele, his voice still ringing.

ervice and Sampson's idea of law was at hand

ot aid or abet or accept any Ranger Service. Steele,

"I've a pocket full of letters from Linroc

his temples. He appeared about to burst in

a long arm

Now, I'll work alone. This man

face; his utterance was incoherent, his uncontrollable outbreak of temper seem

back with a curse

shouted Sampson. "I won't give you one

rrests. Sampson, you're ignorant

l without papers?

Rio to jail,"

your damned Ranger stunts out

son's appeared to be the sign

ed I saw how he wanted to force Samps

o swift flashes of light his guns leaped for

his lone lion stands. Not exactly alone

of a criminal opposed by Sampson, mayor of Linrock. It will be recorded in the report s

white with

e here," or

link out of line with the guns. Steele's c

r to Gorsech with them. Gorsech, snap those irons on Sn

ght have seen more danger in that moment than was manifest to me; on

r those who opposed him. Th

d his nerve chilled even me. Perhaps though, he read this crowd differently from me

e that carried so far and held those who heard. "Any honest citi

you've been mayor you've never arrested one rustler. Strange, when Linrock's a nest for

eet fights and hold-ups. Not one arrest! But you have ordered arrest

ty lines. Strange how in these law-suits, you or Wright or other men close to you were

he silence, both outside and inside the hall, c

e faces of any present, but I was concerned only with Sampso

o held! Sampson was indeed a study. Yet did h

't accuse you and your court of dishonesty. I say-strange! Law here has been a far