The Law-Breakers

the surface after a long

poseful, and in his usually keen gray eyes was that open staring light which belongs to the man who gropes his way over Nature's trackless wastes, and whose mind is

d powerful frame swayed with that magical rhythm which gives most ease to both horse and rider. His was the se

held in the man's hand there was a firmness and decision in the feeling o

ly a perfect horseman as

et aside, perhaps all thought of it had been left behind with his uniform, and just th

m his waist up, his clothing was a gray flannel shirt, over which he wore an open waistcoat of ordinary civilian make. About his neck was tied a silk handkerchief of modest hue

licting nature, and, roaming at will, they centered, as thoughts so roaming will

had had with his immediate superior, Superintendent Jason, just before the time of his setting out. It had been an uncomfortable half-hour spent list

effected, and of the manner in which the perpetrators of it had slipped through the official fing

f his superior's tongue, Fyles had finally offered to set out for Rocky Springs, the place, both we

egan to take it seriously. Finally, however, the younger man had had his way, and the necessary permission w

im than they expressed. They were full of a cold threat,

ver forget it. It was a moment of crisis in his official life, a crisis when it bec

office. Fyles's long, firm forefinger was pointing along a trail, and his sharp, incisive words were explaining something of his convictions as his finger moved. The other was listening without in

k doesn't put these men in the penitentiary. You've made a mess of this job so far. Guess it's up to you to make good. You've got your chance now. See you

had been passed on him, just as surely as though

ed into the background. His plans were carefully laid, and all the support he could need was arranged for. This time the work before him was no mere capture of whisky-runners, but to make all whisky-running, as associated w

f wondering how much he was influenced by that inducement in accepting the odds agai

htful one. Sometimes he had found himself wondering at the phenomenon of her attraction for him. But he was incapable of analyzing his feelings closely. His life had been spent on these fringes of ci

ously belonging to an utterly different and more cultured life. A woman of uncommon beauty and distinction; a woman, who, to his min

mechanically watchful eyes warned him that a horseman was riding along t

plains a fellow-creature ever becomes a matter of considerable moment. In Fyl

unusual, in fact, that his horse, although a big raking creature, became dwarfed under him. Even from that distance the officer obtained a suggestion of fair hair beneath the brim of t

he was out to pay a visit to friends. Then, quite abruptly, he changed his mind, and fur

nd look back. Evidently he had become aware of the approach. Equally evidently he either welcomed or res

The stranger's face was abeam with smiling good nat

egs, and anything else that goes to make up a human companion," he said delightedly. "Say, how far do

as uppermost in him now, but he smiled a certain cord

there are chasing around in his brain-bo

smile broaden

as I've got in my head, not even my mother, and any I have got have just been chewed right up to death till there isn't a blamed thing left to chew. For the past ten miles I've been reviewing

ng a stranger in the country. He was obviously direct from some eastern city, though not aggressively so. Furthermore, the beautiful chestnu

about-trying to

n was one of am

ment in his eyes. "That, and finding some fo

s reins and his

ing to Rocky Springs, and-you've

s horse seemed to welcome the companionship, for it ambled

elf?" Fyles inquired presently. "

chagrin was almost comi

nyhow, I kind of took to the idea. Guessed I'd make a break that way and get used to the country. So I just bought the best horse I could find in the town from the worst thief that ever dodged penitentiary, and since then have spent seven whole days getting on intimate terms with every blade of grass in the country, and trying to convince various settlers that I wasn't a murderer or horse thief, and didn't want to shoot 'em in their beds, but just needed food and sleep, all of which I was ready to pay for at any fancy prices they liked to ask. How I eventually got here I don't know, and haven't a desire to know, and I'll stake my oath you won't find any two people in the country with the same ideas of direction. And I want to say th

adow of aloofness. No one could have looked into the man's humorously smiling eyes, or listened to the frank ad

roduction in the spiri

les," he said cordially. "G

good name-Fyles," he went on, releasing the other's hand. "Suggests all sorts of things-nails, chisels-something in the ha

ed, shakin

ancher," he

ve read about 'em. Chasing cattle. Rounding 'em up.

ok his he

roadening. "You see, I just round up 'strays,' and sen

with ready u

r fancy grass. Then they get lost, or mussed up with ether cattle, and-an

winkled, but his sunburn

avel before you come up with 'em. They get mighty wild running loose that way, and, hate being rounded up. Some of 'em show fight, and things get

m lit Bill Bryant'

him to pay legal chin waggers. That's how I've always felt, but living in luxury in a city makes you act otherwise. I've quit it though, now, and, in consequence, I'm just busting to hand some fellow that bunch of knuckles." He raised one great clenched fist and examined it with a sort of mild enthu

rattled over it and sent him along out here to raise cattle and wheat. Well, when dad died he left me most of his dollars. There were plenty, and it's made me feel sick he forgot

eer how easy it is to think right when you really try-hard. Guess you don't need to think m

ght into the officer's interested face. His eyes

not go out West? Join Charlie. Put all your money into his ranch. Turn it into a swell affair, and run it together. That way it'll seem as i

somehow this great, soft-hearted, simple giant made him feel as he had never felt before. He abruptly thrust out a h

hen as an afterthought:

Bill beamed hi

attle, but I can ride anything with hair on it, and I've never seen the feller I couldn't pound to a mush with the gloves on. That's useful, seeing

bouts. Bill Bryant was pointing at t

stranger had so interested and amused him that he had quit

town," complain

that tree is on the shoulder o

eyes

eh? And Charlie's ranc

or years. Maybe, now that the time had come for the meeting, some feeling of nervousness was growing. Perhaps he was wondering if he would be as welcome as he hoped. Had Ch

heir enthusiastic light. His great, honest f

to have witnessed it. He was thinking about that brother in Rocky Springs. He knew him slightly, and knew his reputation better, and, in consequence, the two words "drunkard" and "crook"