The Trail to Yesterday

nights on the gallery of the ranchhouse she had seen the two men sitting very close together, and on one or two

rlooking the river, and though her father and Duncan had a perfect right to discuss him, it seem

careful to avoid any crossing in the river which looked the least suspicious. Such crossings as she could ford were few, and for that reason she w

s she had come upon a small adobe cabin situate

h she had once passed many fearsome hours, but while she hesitated, on the verge of flight, Doubler came to the door, a

and a tin cup full of delicious coffee. She refused to enter the cabin, and so he brought the

a marveled much over this. But when she prepared to depart s

e that Langford

ord. But who told you? I was not aware that anyone ar

ta to

h instantly attracted Doubler's attent

now Da

ve me

like him,

N

ve got things mixed. But from Dakota's talk

ng, after all! She was not surprised, but she was undeniably angry and embarrassed to think that perhaps all the

en saying?" she

say about you, once he'd seen you an' talked some to you.

you what he said, ma'am, without you gettin' awful mad. He didn't say nothin' except that he'd taken an aw

er in Sheila's voice. "Would you mind telli

akin' a shine' to you means that he's some stuck on you-likes yo

her face made the use of mere words entirely unnecessar

with amusement at her. But on the morrow she had returned, determined to discover something of Dakota, to learn something o

t she succeeded in worming from the nester was not more than he had already volunteered, or than

knew, and she wondered at the custom which permitte

range. His manner toward her was always cordial, and he seemed not to have a care. One morning, however, she rode up to the door of the cabin and Doubler's face was serious. He stood quietly in the doorway,

et in his voice, "I'm a heap sorry, but of

n surprise. "I like to come here. Bu

owed. But you don't, of course, or you wouldn't have come

d Sheila. "But I can't see wh

" said Doubler "An' of course I ain't doin' it. Therefo

nderstand why a mere visit on her father's par

buy-there's likely to be trouble. I ain't proved on my land yet, an' if your dad can run me off he'll be pretty apt to grab it somehow or other. But he ain't runnin' me off an' so t

m gravely, much disturbed at this unexpected development. "The

t expectin' your father to be like that, after seein' you. I was hopin' that we'd be able to get along. I've had some

a pained embarrassment. "I am sure that father will n

n I've got him sized up right. He ain't in no way like you, ma'am. If

pfather," adm

ay anything about this business to him. He's bound to try to run me off. He done said so. I don't know when I ever heard a man talk any

toward Doubler, and she cut short her ride in the hope of being able to have a talk with him before he left the ranchhouse. But when

hten Sheila unnecessarily. But as Langford rode toward Doubler's cabin this morning his thoughts persisted in dwelling on

affair. I'm warnin' you to stay away from the Two Forks. If I ketch you

uttered the threat in a spirit of bravado. Of course, he told himself as he rode, the man was forced to say some

bler this morning, for he had noticed that the nester had appeared ill at ease in the presence of Duncan, and he anticipated that alone he coul

near the door of the cabin, watching. Langford was about to force his pony to a faster pace, when he saw Doubler raise a rifle to his shoulder. Still, he continued to ride f

, scared face, bending low over the animal's mane to escape any bullets which might follow the first, rapidly recrossed the river. Once on the crest o

be sure. But now that Doubler had shown in no unmistakable manner that he had not been trifling the day before, Langford was no longer

e Langford arrived there he had regained his composu

ble with Doubler, but his manner repulsed her and she kept silent, hoping that the mood would pass. However, the mood did not pass. Langford continued to ride o

r he was sitting on the ranchhouse gallery with Duncan, enjoyin

his country are mighty car

ho come out here from the East-who think that a man who carries a gun out here is careless wit

"that there are men in this country who do

re road agents and su

I meant, however another kind-I believe they are cal

his eyes, but could draw no conclusions concerning the latter's

t Langford's curiosity was merely casual-as Langford desired

here-in Lazette, for instance. It struck me tha

grown suddenly dark with passion, as it always did when Dakota's name was mentioned.

ta's nothing but a damned sneak!" he said, not b

en; he had not forgotten the incident of

shot, though,

. "And," he added, "it's been hinted that all h

ngford, his eyes gleaming. "Not 'sq

about him," returned Duncan, glad o

his smile, and he deftly directed the curre

ford returned to the Double R. During the evening meal he enveloped himself with a silence which proved impenetrable. He retired early, t

y, with the air and manner of a man who is thinking

e said once aloud during

earth in the vicinity, smiling more broadly at the marks and hoo

he shade of the cabin wall, and for all that Langford could see he was entirely unaware of his approach. He saw Dakota look up

er," came the

friend?" greete

oughts during a great many of the previous twenty-four hours. He dismounted from his pony, hitched the animal to

seat on the box upon which he had been sitting when Langford had firs

portant, conscious that somehow the familiarity that he had felt ex

ponded Dakota, still

ow

orgot that your horse h

eyes, my friend,"

until now, and as he spoke he raised his h

ould see there an unmistakable, grim mockery. And that was all, for whatever other emotions Dakota felt, they were invisible to Langford. He drew a deep breath, suddenly aware that before him was a man exactly like himself in one respect-skilled in the art of

e to see a brand," observed Dakota, drawling; "especially w

ord. "I suppose you have

you've been a

usy with his saddle, but he could detect no sarcasm in his face,

know me?

Double R. I've seen your daughter. And you ride up here on a Double R horse. There ain't

Even if he had not witnessed the killing of Texas Blanca that day in Lazette he would have known the man bef

r of the Double R. And I have come, my friend,

's gaze was again on Langfor

tain

told yo

ued her from

tor, quiet, intent. "She tell you a

angford's voice, for Sheila had always told him everything that hap

or saving her?" There was a queer smile on Dako

to relate that,"

thought. Do you think sh

dn't be

l her no thanks are due. And if she inquires, tell her that

course, and I presume she forgot to thank you-possibly will ride over herself some

nk me-f

N

to look at your range. Sit down." He motioned to

d shifted uneasily on the box, for the seat was not to his liking and the attitude of his host was mos

ugh. Out of the jumble of thoughts that had rioted in his brain after his departure from Two Forks crossing had risen a conviction. Doubler was a danger and a menace and

is presence on the Two Forks. He had not been surprised when Duncan had mentioned Dakota as being a probable tool, for he had thought over the occurrence of the shooting in Lazette many times, and had been much impressed with Dakota's coolness and his sa

oaching Dakota many times. But now the defect in the plan seemed to be that he had misjudged his man-that Duncan had misjudged him. Plainly he would make

, "it must be loneso

o lone

ugh-lots of land. There

it. I reckon the Lord wasn't in

to be restrict

ricti

ford; "restrictions

ted slowly. Then he laughed mirthlessly. "Some people wouldn't be satisfied if they owne

to be forced to digress from the main subject. "Have you got everything you want? Isn't

d be modest, though, if I had ambition. We a

happiness, still others are after something else. As you

u are am

ck it," smil

le of derision on his lips. "What particula

an

he added as Langford shook his head with an emphatic, nega

mitted Langford; "I

Langford watched Dakota furtively as the la

u spoke about, then-happiness, money, and s

pretty well

ord. "I reckon, if you've got all those things, that you ought to be satisfied. But of c

ldn't sell-wouldn't even consider selling, thou

land. You couldn't buy that from a man, you know. I suppose you care a lot about Doubler's happiness-you wouldn't want to t

siness. Doubler's land adjoins mine. I want to extend my holdings. I can't extend in Doubler's directio

want his land, and that settles it-so far as you are concerned. You don't consider Doubler's feelings. Well, I don't know but that's

e country, my friend," he said. "I don't know anything about the usual cust

f the thread through the eye of the needle which he held in the other hand. So far as Langford

d was masking it by appearing to busy himself with the saddle. Langford's respect for him grew and he wisely kept silent, knowing that in

yourself?" he said, dra

angford kept a discreetly still tongue. "Your business principles don't take you quite that far, eh? And so you've come o

t you could hire me to pu

iscover that Dakota had all along been aware of the object of his visit. It rather pleased h

riend of mine?" he asked. "No?" His smile grew mocking. "Just merely mentioned that I was uncommonly clever in the art of getting people-undesirable people-out of the way. Don't get the idea, though, because Duncan told you, that I make a business of sho

ll," he said, repeating Dakota's word with a significant inflection, "you don't refuse to list

ance that reached toward the nester's cabin. Langford watched Dakota clo

pay the thousand?" ques

Doubler isn't

bility. "That sounds all right," he said, with s

e in your power. I have never been accused of being a fool by any of the men with wh

make any deal," lau

too. But"-he added as he saw Dakota's lips harden-"I don't purpose to proceed against you in the manner I am dealing w

thou

of six thousand dollars, in consideration of his rights and interest in the Star brand, provided that within one month from date he persuades Ben Doubler to leave Union county.'

owledge. His smile possessed a subtly mocking qua

e been wanting to leave here-I've got tired of it. And"-he continued with a mysterious smile-"if things turn ou

rail, satisfied with the result of his visit. Turning once-as he reached the rise upon which Sheila had halted that morning after leaving Dakota's cabin, Langford looked back. Dakota was still bus

here Langford had disappeared, "thinks he has convinced me that I ou