The Rustlers of Pecos County

It was a heavy door, without bolt or bar, and when I had shut it I felt safe only for the moment. Then I gazed around the room. There was one window with blind closely drawn. I listened and seeme

ibly frightened. Again with warning hand commanding sil

because she believed I meant to kill her, or do worse, probably worse. She had believed many a hard story about me and had cared for me in spite of them. I remembered, then, that she h

retty hard and fierce, bursting into her room with that big gun

r hands and trying to raise her. But s

uss, I didn't break my word-I didn't make you kiss me just for, vanity's sake. I swear I didn't. I wanted

peech. I shook her and sat her on the bed. "You little fool, I didn't come in here to kill yo

tempted you anymore," she faltered. The way she se

ife. I was pursued. I was spying on Sampson and his men. They heard me, but did not see me. They don't know who was listening. They're a

owing, quickening windows of thought. "Russ-ell Archi-b

es

u're no

N

make-bel

es

ng, the association with thos

ng man. And I sure hate those places I had

ve or restraint began to kiss me and love me. It must have been a moment of sheer gladness to feel that I was not disreputable, a m

eld her for what seemed a long time. Indistinct voices came to me and footsteps seemingly a long way off. I heard the wind in the rose-bush outside. Some one walked down the stony court. Then a shrill neigh of a horse pierced the silence. A rider was mounting out there for some reason. With my life at stake I grasped all the sweetness of that situation. Sally stirre

e and intelligence of a woman in her eyes.

entered her room, not omitting a terse word

wrong here-with him, with the place, the people. And r

ing. I haven't an

it'll kill her! You don't know how prou

baby. She's got

f my peril, and now, what counted more with me, made clear the probability of

ning me. "Didn't you say t

are," I ret

can hide under my bed. I'll turn out the light. I'll meet them at the door. You can trust me.

don't want to-I won't," I re

the only safe way. T

old house. If they found me here I couldn't start a fight. You might be hurt. Then-the fac

te or strong, for the clasp of her arms, the feel of her warm breast as she pressed me back were enough to make me weak as water. My knees buckled as I touched the chair, and I was glad to sit down. My face was wet with

tly. "What do I care what they think?" She put her arms round my neck. I gave up then and held her

on's clear voice, too strai

y, so calmly and naturally that I marveled at the difference between

on Sampson's penetra

replied

ed, haggard, flaming-eyed. His leveled gun did not have to move an in

on. He showed amazem

trapped. And fury, like the hot teeth of a wolf, bit into me. That leveled gun, the menace in Sampson's puzzled eyes, Wright's d

ntering, which action showed

ally. He was hard as flint, y

pant. I awakened to the knowledge that she was to be reckoned with in

" ordered Sa

n't shoot Russ or do anything else to him. It's my

exclaimed Sampson, a

She betrayed not the slightest fear. She looked as if she could

s been in here?"

ne at eight o'clock. Rus

bed!" ejaculated the an

innocent, and yet so confounding in its provocation of thought that Sam

son-" I began,

eted me. I realized I would be wise to be silent. "Uncle," began Sally, turning her head, yet still clinging to me, "I've tormented Russ into loving me. I've flirt

n. "I won't hurt him. Sally, how l

I don't kno

Diane

did this-" Light swift steps, the rustle of silk in

pson's deep voice, nervous, hurried.

n back," ord

ted face appeared beside Wright. He fail

consternation. Then she swept i

red with his sardonic humor. He paced the little room, shrugging his shoulders, offering no explanation. S

. Then Miss Sampson's dark gaze swept from George to her father, then to Sally's attire and her shamed

" For myself I could keep silent, but for Sally I began

ed it, Diane,"

huddering disbelief fil

eplied Sally. She managed to hold up her he

n, it's a-"

ght her. Miss Sampson hurried to her

d have shot you. But at that I wasn't looking for you. Now clear out of here." I picked up my gun from the bureau and dropped it in its sheath. For the life of me I could not leave without another look at Miss Sampson

y head and