The Rustlers of Pecos County

out, and although I did not take that as a dismissal I considered I would be wise to leave the ranch at once. Daylight might disclose

e ranch to lose something of the pain I felt. But long after I had tramped out into the open t

ncerning what the future held in store for us. I seemed to have a vague but clinging hope

n I picked out the one of his little adobe house but I knew almost to a certainty that he was not there. So I turned my way into the

fell into washes, and pricked myself on cactus. By and by mesquites and rocks began to make progress still harder for me. I wandered around, at las

blanket in as sheltered a place as I could find and lay down. The coyotes were on noisy duty, the wind moaned and rushed through

h to cause me any discomfort. The morning was bright and beautiful, yet somehow I hated it. I

s place. I whistled, then halloed, but got no reply. Then by working back and forth across the ridge I found what appeared to be a faint trail. This I followed, lost and found again, and

lab. There was also a canteen full of water. I lost no time getting myself som

hunting for a horse or a steer. Under the circumstances, however, I was suspicious, and I watched them closely, and followed them a mile or so round the base of the ridges

wn more horsemen in the flat caused me to lie low fo

ife I could not have told why I knew something had happened since my last

forgiven my deceit. Sally asked me to come that night after eight, down among the trees and shrubbery, to a secluded spot we knew. It was a brief note and all to the point. But there was something in it that affected me strangely. I had imagined the en

was the r

y to Steele's house. He was not there. There was nothing by which I could tell when he had been there. The lamp might have been tu

and cheerful. The children were playing, manifestly well cared for and content. Mrs. Hoden had not seen Steele since I had. Miss Samson had sent her servant. The

ce moment to lift its hydra head. For that time of day the street seemed unusually quiet. Few pedestrians were ab

bar was lined by shirt-sleeved men, with hats slouched back and vests flapping wide. Those who were not drinking were talking

any other time I had visited the saloon. Voices were too low for me to catch, but I followed the direction of some of the significant gestures. Then I saw that these half dozen tables were rather

ollowed. When I got outside, he was leaning against the hitching-rail. One look at this big rancher was enough for me to see that he had been told my part in

e said. "We've b

all scattered round, ready.

ele?" was my

. He's somewhere close.

all r

little while back," repl

me off? Te

at he was in town for. But last night he came out with it. Every man in the saloons, every man on the streets he

hard?" I

ty early. But they traveled alone. Blome just strolled up and down by himself. I watched him walk up this street on one side and then down the other, just a matt

ether, and the rest of our crowd in pairs at different places. I reckon it was about noon when Blome got tired parading up and down. He we

'd yell an' prance round like a drunken fool. But he was cool an' quiet enough. The blowin' an' drinkin' was done by his pals. But after a little while it got to me that Blome gloried in this situation. I've seen a m

in that way. He wasn't on the street just before that time, because Zimmer told me afterward. Steele must have been in the Hope So somewhere. Any way, just like he dr

you're lookin' for m

n' I could see that he was tryin' to think in a moment when thinkin' was hard. Then Blome turned his head. Sure he expected to look into a six-shooter. But Steele was standin' bac

e a move then would have been a fool trick. He saw that. So did everybody. The crowd slid back without noise, but Bo Snecker

d to Blome went. He just walked round in front of the rustler. But this

n looking for me,'

life. It struck me that Steele's presence had made

ave,' repl

I am. What

stion of Steele's seemed strange on one hand. An' yet on the othe

n' for you, you sure heard

all brag one thing behind my back an' you mean different

know what Jac

me, you've been braggin' around that you'd meet

did me

ight. G

ought, an' I'll gamble every one else watchin' thought, Blome would draw an' get killed in the act. But he never moved. Steele had cowed him. If Blome had been heated by drink, or mad, or an

ced the man you intended to kill. Blome, you're one of these dandy, cock-of-the-walk four-flushers. I'll tell you how I know. Because

orward an' slapped Blome on one sid

this or I'm liable to spoil

e from seein' Steele. But on hearin' somethin', I don't know what, I turned back

rturned, an' March, the other rustler, who was on that side, got up, pullin' his gun. But somebody in the crowd killed him before he could get goin'.

duced knife and tobacco and cut himself a huge quid. "That's all, so far, to-day,

ospect of danger, but this time there was something lacking in

me along. Wait till I see him! But Morton, you say someo

r men. Zimmer was outside. The

more friends than we know, perh

e gang in the air. Ther

cts to keep Snecker

ele had put both Blome and Snecker out

driven. It's hard to make him draw. You know, after all, these desperate men aren't afraid of guns or fights. Yet they are a

inrock will flock to him in another day. I can see signs of that. There

Morton, can you give me a

he sli

im tell him to hole up, and then you come a

s ain't wonders!" exclaimed

aring up and down the street. There was some shooting, but I did not see or hear that any one got hurt. The lawless element, both native to Linrock and the visit

he hour were whisky and guns. Under such condition

le citizens abroad whose quiet, unobtrusive manner and watchful eyes and hard faces told me that when trouble began they wanted to be there. Verily Ranger Steele had built his house of service upon a roc

they had appropriated from a hardware store. If Steele had a jailer he was not in evidence. The door was wrenched off and Bo Snecker, evidently not wholly recovered, brought

ried over the vacant ground to a little ridge that marked the edge of the open country. From

ifting of the roof in a cloud of red dust, and then heard an exceedingly heavy but low detonation. When the pall of dust drifted away all tha

they set to work with crowbars and soon laid low every stone. Then with young Snecker in the fore they set off up

ession given was that they were satisfied. But this impression did not remain with me. Morton was scarcely deceived either. I told him that I would almost certainly see Steele e

ce, and though I was positive he would not be there I whistled low. I halted and waited. He had two lights lit, one in the kitchen, and one in the big room. The blinds were drawn. I saw a long, dark shadow cross one window and then, a little later, cross the other. This would have deceived me ha

ough under the trees. I could hardly find my way to the secluded nook and bench where I had been directed to come. I wondered if Sally

ss into the little starlit glade. Sally came swiftly towards me and right into my arms. That was sure a sweet moment. Through the excitement and dark bod

u all right?"

s moment I a

and then, disengaging herself fr

nough. But I told Diane I was to meet you

fe so far,"

George tramped up and down, smoking, biting his nails, listening for these messengers. When they'd leave

replied,

le shoot

ed to draw on Steele, and some

Russ, wa

. I didn't happ

men like you around him.

is friends. It's because h

fe. I believe she has a secret pride in his work. And I've an idea what

ally, what does Diane

suspicious. She realizes he's not what he has pretended to be all these years. But she never dreams her f

yed, same as the jail was this afternoon. These rustlers are crazy. They'll expect to kill him while he's there. But h

can't you arrange a meeting between Diane and Steel

, knowing that promise

er we used to rest on the high ridge where there was a

bring up painful memor

orning, or the next, or any morning soon, you tie your red scarf on the dead branch of that high

h. "I must go now," she said and rose. She stood close to me and put her arms around my neck. "One thing more, Russ. It-it was dif

. But you must have accepted me before

! But it has been some time

might have been withd

sness of a woman, and I believed she might have kiss

do you l

h. Since the

als. It's a hard life. There's spilling of blood. And an

rd to say about your future. It'll be news to you to learn I'm an orphan. And I'm no

're rich?"

obody can ever say you

ought you a poor relation on a visit. My God! Sally, if I o

," she sa

e's dead now. No other girl ever wore it. Let it be your engagement ring. Sally, I pray I

nly one thing,"

hat's

an conceive what your work is, what a man you must be. I can love you and stick to you, too. But if you killed a blood relative of mine I would have to give you up. I'm a Southerner

ng moment we were locked in an embrace, breast to

ow, hurried good-by, and stole

I always met. He lay there with me, but while I looked up at the stars he had his face co

wish to God I'd sent for some

to offer him. I failed him there. I had trouble of my own. The feel of Sally's clinging arms around my neck, the w

heir chorus. By and by a prairie wolf sent in his lonely lament from the distant ridges. That mourn was worse than the silence. It made the cold shudders creep up and down my back. It was just the cry that seemed to be the one to express my own trouble. No one hearing that l

in the starlight that the hour was eleven,

. Steele lumbered up beside me, an