The Trail Horde

had gone to bed when he stepped into the front door of the ranchhouse, to be greeted by M

ess about his lips, and a cold, whimsica

p breath, and

Warden," she said. "He will no

lroad commissioner-about cars. Simmons says there isn't a car in the state. If we can't get cars, we'll drive to Red Rock." He took her face in his hands and patt

nted Red King; she was still standing there when

a distance of about fifteen miles from the Circle L; and the outfit had selected for a camp a section of plain that ran to the water's edge. It was

informed of Gary Warden's refusa

s sneakin' in the sagebrush or settin' in a office. They ain't no difference. No cars, eh? Bah!

s before he got into politics; an' now he's tin-hornin' the cattle owners of the state. He'll grin that chessie-cat grin of his an' tell you he

ar, until you give us the word to hit the Tom Long trail. But while you're gone I'm g

that Blackburn remarked to one of the men-after Lawler wrapped himself in a blanket and

e cast an eloquent glance at the spot where Lawler had lain, grinned crookedly and remarked

way to the Hamlin cabin; and when the west-bound train steamed in he got aboard, waving a han

. He strode across the paved floor of the train shed, through a wi

of a barber who addressed him as

the convention. I heard the speech you made that time, nominating York Falkner for governor. Too bad you

after the fashion of the period, cut square at the bottom, and the silk lapels matched the flowing tie that was carelessly bowed at the collar of a shirt of some soft, white material. He wore a black, felt hat; and out of consideratio

tion of two wide streets-a broad, spacious structure of white stone, standing in the center of a well-kept grass plot. It

principles that were fundamentally just; and the wisdom of the people, their resources, their lives, were back of it all. This building was an expression of

end: "State Railroad Commissioner." A few minutes later, after having given his name to an attendant, he was standing in a big, well-lig

e had run a hand through it, apparently; his eyes were gray, keen, with a light in them that hinted of a cold composure equal to that which gleamed in Lawler

sh in his eyes by drooping the l

nd toward one, on the side of the desk opposite him. "It's been a long t

gestion of mockery in the unspoken inference tha

's a fact, Hatfield. There's no use denying

the other. "Whenever t

t the people of this state are always taking medicine-politi

faded. His eyes

wrong,

ther hundreds on the way. This year the siding is empty, and Jay Simmons says there are no cars to be had. He tells me there isn't an empty car in the state. Caldwell, of

peared in his cheeks, which instantly receded, leaving them normal again. But that slight flush betrayed Hatfield to

l me that you cattle owners are to blame. You seem to think that it is the business of the railroad company to guess how many car

road company for the necessary cars. In my case, I made arrangements with Jim Lefingwell, the buyer at Willets, as long ago as last

ten agr

. Lefingwell's wor

, it is rather astonishing. You have quite a reputation for intelligence; you own one of the biggest ranches in the state; you are wealthy; and last year you

, though his

you to act in this railroad case. What I have done or said has no bearing on the matter at all. The railroad c

ppeared to

to buy your ca

ither surmised that, or had received information through other sources. Lawler suspected that the railroad c

seems to leave you shippers in a bad predicament, doesn't it? Can'

ck, over the Tom Long trail-th

ould you get

rice-about th

did Ward

nty-

he Tom Long trail, you'd be better off taking Warden's offer. It's re

t thousand amounts to forty thousand d

the state. It's mighty plain. The railroad company refuses cars to the cattle owners, but will supply them to buyers like Warden. The buyers must

the winter?" suggested Hatfi

laid in some feed-though that is an expensive method. Nothing has been done, for we expected to ship by rail as usual. Almost every owner has a stock of feed on hand, but that

his lips for a smile, but something in the grave, level eyes that l

railroad people say there is nothing they can do. I've taken it up with them. The explanation they offer is that during the summer they sent most of their rolling stock East, to take care of an unpr

atfield; can't we forc

le came out-it

rom one end to the other, and so has the attorney-general. This office is helpless, Lawler. I would advise you to accept the offer of your resident buyer. It may be that

r closed behind him Hatfield sank back

rtone; "swallowed it whole. And th

door of the governor's office. As he passed through the rotunda he was aware that severa

ve been governor, right now, if he'd said t

the present governor, delegations from various sections of the state had visited Lawler at the Circle L, endeavoring to prevail upon him to accept the nomination;

ate. And at the last minute the convention was in danger of stampeding to him, threatening to nominate him despite his protests. He had been forced to tell them plainly that he would not serve, if nominated and elected, because he had pledged his support to Falkner.

thrill ran over him. At this moment-if he had not made the sacrifice-he might have been sitting in the governor's office, listening to Caldwell, or Sigmund, or others from

sure of his reception-for Perry Haughton had beaten Falkner, and owed Lawler no

mood. For despite the sarcastic flings he had directed at Lawler, the governor pondero

glad to see you. Where have

and perhaps the governor saw in the smile an answer to his question. He led Lawler to a chair, a

y. The governor posed as a genial, generous, broad-minded public official-and it had been upon that reputation that he had been nominated

ctive toward Lawler, for Lawler had offended him by his tenacious champions

own long?"

h to have a talk

ailroad company seems to be unable to supply cars for cattle shipments. We have investigated, and so far we have been unable to discove

r," said Lawler. "The round-up is over and cattle must m

law is vague and indefinite. We can't proceed under it. However, we

awler. "Half the cattle in the st

d. "That's the best

a special sess

spicion of mockery in his voice. "If you do, you will remember that the

ugh to demand another session

adily at Lawler, his eyes gleaming with a vin

s merely a disagreement between cattle owners and cattle buyers. It seems to me that it is not a matter for state interference. As I understand, the cattle buyers have offered a certain price. The owners ask another

capacity, Haughton. We want the state to f

ovision in the law under which we can for

at the governor. For a time there was silence in the big room, during which the governor changed

so that your position won't be misunderstood. The railroad company is not even a resident corporation, and yet you, as governor, refuse to act in the interests of the state cattle owners, ag

he News, detailing his conversation with Hatfield and the governor to a keen-eyed man of thirty-five, nam

we've been waiting to see just how general it was. You'll understand, now, why

lets; and a few minutes later he was talking wi

which are to the effect that this is a free country-meaning that if you don't care to accept what the

ours before. Somehow, it had seemed to them, Lawler would straighten things out for them; they had faith in Lawler; they had trusted in his energy and in his mental k

er which they had challenged was a gigantic thing

They might fight the powerful forces opposed to them-and there was no doubt that futile rage against the power surged in the veins of every man in the group about Lawler. But ther

en he finally looked up at Lawler. He frowned,

country. We all know that. If we'd happen to run into a storm on the Tom Long trail we wouldn't get no cattle to Red Rock at all. An' if we winter them on the open range there wouldn't be a sound hoof left by

g at Lawler, for they felt that this surrender was not relished by him. Caldwell almost jumped with astonishment when h

is close, and they've got things pretty well blocked. They figured on the late

awler's hand and s

e first to sell to Warden, though," he added, with a faint attempt at humor; "for I seen Blackburn an' some more of your outfit trailin' about a tho

the company corral, Ca

lged his eyes. "What then? Wh

Blackburn drove over, and the seven thousand the other boys are holding at th

their herds for the drive to the company corral at Willets. But before they left, Caldwell visited Warden's office,

e news of the surrender; speaking gruffly to S

re'll be cars

will probably get them," he said. "I reckon the cause of all this mi

untry will jump on you guys with both feet!" threatened

terrupted Warden, quietly; "I saw a Circle L

f us critters. He just got through tellin' me that he wouldn't sell

breathing fast, Warden s

We'll make them hold their cattle here, we'll keep them guessing as to whether you

ht. At the foot of the stairs he parted from Simmo

n the barroom and dr

y one. The others are selling to me. We've got him now, damn him!