Cowmen and Rustlers: A Story of the Wyoming Cattle Ranges
n urging their guest to remain several days with them. He had not cons
tion of departing at once, rid
for his strange action, and they could not ask it. His fleet mare, which had been allowed to graze on the succulent grass at t
s not worth while to disturb her;
d Whitney, and then, raising his hat with
e away a few paces, for he
gh to reach the dear one, as he pressed the del
swered. "I am sor
I trust soon to see you again. Do you know why I hope Fred
d then she added, forgetting her sorrow for the mom
but father insists that I am wasting time here,
s right,
e I go back I want to make sure that you
ed and dashed across the p
ppeared in the gloom of the night. Then she turned to speak to her brother, but h
more went by and s
that the faint sound of a h
mother talked in low tones, did not disturb her, and the almost inaudible l
mes carried by it. Suddenly the reports of rifle-firing were heard, faint but distinct, and
tell that the last sounds were not made by a single animal, but by several going at a high rate of
man found matters
ntly at his house. Their messenger had gone thither to deliver it. Young Whitney had slain one of their number
as he sat in front of the rancher's house, and would not forget to tell it to his comrades, who would s
uch an attack would not be made if he was not there. Desperate and defiant as the rust
, thus removing an element of grave danger. It would have been hardly wis
him, he set his mare Queenie on an easy, swift gallop, heading south
sense he was the owner of numberless dwelling-places or "headquarters." He may be likened to a commercia
his friends, for he was working in their interests. At whichev
the remaining hours of the night, he turned the nose
as debating whether to join them or to ride on to the ranch of Dick Hawkridge, a number of m
ligent steed for warning. While Monteith Sterry could do a great deal of thinking in the saddle,
when his mare pricked up her ears, gave an almost
nted danger, and her ri
right and looked steadily in that direction, with her pretty ears thrown forwa
ng. He was out of the saddle in a twinkling, and tried a trick learned from the old hunters. He pres
orses' hoofs was heard. The number was indefinite, but, somewhat to his
and looked off to the right he expected to see the
e. They were approaching, and one of their steeds emitted a whinny, as a salutation to t
pered Ster
ing; she was too well trained to b
rn the figures of the approaching horsemen, they must a
ere hunting for him. There were at least three; and, well aware of their character
n. They were "out" for the inspector, and did not inte
one of the trio, "wher
to which Mont Sterry made a
I will attend to it, and
ward him. At a touch of the rein Queenie headed directly away, and her gait was about the same. She acted as though she shar
when his better judgment tells hi
eard the words of the men when talking to ea
s him," said one
wouldn't leave the Whitneys at th
is tongue, anyway; we
inute. Do you know any
ooking
defiant response. "What do