Rogers Takes A Hand
: 'drag' HarlanThe trail herd had made good progress through the valley, and Rogers,
aided by the Star men, had kept them going. The men feared no
interference with the work, for they had terrorized the ranchers in the
valley until the latter well knew the futility of retaliatory measures.
Still, a certain furtive quickness of movement had always characterized
the operations of the outlaws--the instinct to move secretly, if
possible,
them.
Besides, the drive to Willow's Wells was not a long one, and the cattle
could stand a fast pace. So it was not long after the herd had left the
Star until it straggled up a defile in the hills and out upon the level
where Deveny's men had to ride to take the south trail to the Rancho
Seco.
The level extended southward for a distance of several miles to a grass
range that the Star men knew well--for there had been times when they had
grazed cattle there, making camp on their frequent trips to the Wells.
A range of low, flat hills marked the northern limits of the grazing
section; and Rogers and his men trailed the cattle through the hills
while the morning was still young.
The herd was through the hills, and Rogers, twisting in the saddle, was
taking a last look over the plain to make certain there had been no
prying eyes watching the movements of himself and the men, when he saw,
far to the west, a group of horsemen just coming into view at the edge of
the plain--seemingly having ridden out of the big valley.
Rogers wheeled his horse and watched the horsemen as they traveled
eastward, making good time. He called to a man, named Colver, who was
riding close to him.
"Them's Deveny's men--from the Cache. What in blazes are they up to?
Somethin's in the wind, Colver--they're ridin' like the devil was after
them an' burnin' the breeze for fair!"
Rogers sent his horse scampering to the crest of one of the hills where,
concealed behind some brush, he watched the progress of Deveny's men
eastward.
When they passed the point on the plain where they would have to veer
northward if they intended to visit the Star, he breathed with relief.
For he had almost yielded to a conviction that Deveny was headed for
the Star.
But after the horsemen passed the point that led to the Star trail, a new
anxiety seized Rogers--and a passion that sent the blood to his face
swept over him.
His eyes were glowing with an excitement that he could not repress when
he turned to Colver.
"Somethin's up!" he snapped. "Deveny's been sullen as hell for a good
many days--ever since Harlan came to the Star. One of the boys was
tellin' me he heard Deveny an' Haydon havin' it out over at the Cache. If
there's goin' to be a ruckus I'm goin' to be in on it!"
He leaped his horse off the hill, racing him down into the grass plain
after the other men. When he reached them he yelled sharply, and they
spurred quickly to him, anticipating from his manner that danger
threatened.
"I've got a hunch that hell's a-goin' to pop right sudden, boys," he told
them. "An' we're goin' away from it. If there's any trouble we want to be
in on it. Deveny's up to somethin'. You-all know about the agreement made
between Haydon an' Harlan--that Harlan was to run the Rancho Seco without
interference. Deveny's headed that way, an' Haydon ain't around. It's up
to us boys to keep our eyes open.
"Harlan's at the Star. He won't be knowin' that Deveny is headin' for the
Rancho Seco. Harlan's white, boys; he's done more for us guys since he's
been at the Star than Haydon or Deveny ever done for us. He's promised us
things that Haydon an' Deveny would never do. He's a white man, an' I'm
for him. An' I'm for takin' orders from him from now on. Who's with me?"
"You're shoutin'!" declared Colver.
"It's time for a new deal," muttered another.
"You're doin' the yappin'," grimly announced a big man who was close to
Rogers; "we're followin' your lead."
"I'm jumpin' for the Star then!" declared Rogers; "to put Harlan wise to
where Deveny's headed for. We're leavin' the herd here until we find out
what's goin' on. Half of you guys beat it to the Rancho Seco--trailin'
Deveny an' his boys, to find out what they're doin'. You're herd-ridin'
them if they go to monkeyin' with the Rancho Seco. Slope!"
Rogers had hardly ceased speaking when the outfit was on the move. There
were eleven men, including Rogers; and they sent their horses leaping
over the crest of the hill nearest them--dividing, as they reached the
level on the other side with seemingly no previous arrangement, into two
groups--one group going northeastward, toward the South Trail, and the
other fading into the space that yawned between it and the point where
the trail to the Star led downward into the big basin.
* * * * *
Haydon, holding hard to the pommel of the saddle, urging his horse along
the trail that led up the valley, looked back whenever he reached a rise,
his eyes searching the space behind him for the dread apparition that he
expected momentarily.
He knew that it would not be long before Morgan and Harlan would emerge
from the ranchhouse to discover that he had escaped; and he knew, too,
that they would suspect that he had gone to the Cache.
He expected they would delay riding after him, however, until they
searched for him in some of the buildings, and that delay, he hoped,
would give him time to reach the Cache.
He was handicapped by his useless arm--for it made riding awkward, and
the numbness was stealing down his side, toward his leg. He paid little
attention to the pain; indeed, he entirely forgot it in his frenzied
eagerness to reach the Cache.
More prominent in his brain at this minute than any other emotion was a
dread of Billy Morgan. He had yielded to terror when Morgan had revealed
his identity; but the terror he had felt then had not been nearly so
paralyzing as that which was now upon him.
His eyes were bulging as he rode; his lips were slavering, and he
shuddered and cringed as he leaned over his horse's mane, urging him to
greater effort--even though there were times when his lurches almost
threw him out of the saddle.
For his previous terror had been somewhat tempered with a doubt of
Morgan's veracity. Even when he had seen Morgan reaching for his pistol
he had felt the doubt--had felt that Morgan was not Morgan at all, but
Woodward, perpetrating a grotesque joke. To be sure, when he had seen
that Morgan really intended to kill him, he had been convinced that the
man was in deadly earnest. It had been then that he had desperately
twisted himself so that Morgan's bullet had not touched a vital spot.
But now his terror had grown; it was a thing that had got into his
soul--for he had had time to meditate over what Morgan's vengeance meant
to him.
It meant that Morgan would kill him, if he caught him; that the life he
treasured would be taken from him; that the magnificent body which he had
always so greatly admired would be shattered and broken. The mental
picture he drew further increased his terror, and he began to mutter
incoherent blasphemies as he raced his horse at a breakneck pace toward
the Cache.
But when he had ridden several miles and knew from the appearance of the
valley that he was nearing the Cache and that he would reach it in
safety, there came a change in him.
He grew calmer; he began to feel a rage that sent the blood racing
through his veins again. He looked back over the trail as often as
formerly, but it was with a new expression--malevolent hatred. And when
he finally reached the entrance to the Cache and rode through it, heading
toward the building in which, he expected, he would find Deveny, the
malevolence in his expression was mingled with triumph and cunning.
More
-
Peaceful Returns
That afternoon when the four-thirty-five rushed in from the parched desert and slid to a panting halt beside the station platform, Peaceful Hart emerged from the smoker, descended quietly to the blistering planks, and nodded through the open window ... Peppajee Jim Heap Sabes
Peppajee Jim had meditated long in the shade of his wikiup, and now, when the sun changed from a glaring ball of intense, yellow heat to a sullen red disk hanging low over the bluffs of Snake River, he rose, carefully knocked the ashes from his litt... Pete's Girl
She stood in the doorway, a patched and ragged Cinderella of the desert. Upon her slim, ill-poised figure the descending sun slanted a shaft of glory. It caught in a spotlight the cheap, dingy gown, the coarse stockings through the holes of which ... Pick Your Footing!
The three sat irresolutely on their horses at the tunnel's end of the Gap, staring out over the valley of the Redwater and at the mountains beyond. Bud's face was haggard and the lines of his mouth were hard. It was so vast a country in which to loo... Pictures And Plans And Mysterious Footsteps
When Lite objected to her staying altogether at the Lazy A, Jean assured him that she was being terribly practical and cautious and businesslike, and pointed out to him that staying there would save Pard and herself the trip back and forth each day,... Pierre Becomes Alarmed About His Property
The next time Holliwell came, he brought the books, and, finding Pierre at home, he sat with his host after supper and talked men's talk of the country; of game, of ranching, a little gossip, stories of travel, humorous experiences, and Joan sat i... Pierre Lays His Hand On A Heart
Maud Upper was the first girl of her own age that Joan had ever seen. Joan went in terror of her and Maud knew this and enjoyed her ascendancy over an untamed creature twice her size. There was the crack of a lion-tamer's whip in the tone of her i... Pierre Takes Steps To Preserve His Property
A log fell forward and Joan lifted her head. She had not come to an end of Isabella's tragedy nor of her own memories, but something other than the falling log had startled her; a light, crunching step upon the snow. She looked toward the windo... Pine Ridge Range Ablaze
At dusk that night a glow was in the southern sky, and the wind carried the pungent odor of burning grass. Dick went out on the porch after dinner, and sniffed the air uneasily. "I don't much like the look of it," he admitted to Sir Redmond. "It... Pink As Chappyrone
Rowdy was sprawled ungracefully upon somebody's bunk--he neither knew nor cared whose--and he was snoring unmelodiously, and not dreaming a thing; for when a cow-puncher has nothing in particular to do, he sleeps to atone for the weary hours when he... Pink In A Threatening Mood
Eagle Creek Smith had at last reached the point where he must face new conditions and change established customs. He could no longer ignore the barrenness of the range, or close his eyes to the grim fact that his cattle were facing starvation--and t... Play That Was Work And Work That Was Play
The silence that followed Leslie's frightened cry, as he hurled himself to the ground beside the old man he had struck, lasted but an instant. Then, recovering their scattered wits, Herbert and Monty stooped and lifted the Captain's head. The m... Playing For Time
"They've got 'em. Caught them on Dry Creek, just below Green Forks." Helen Messiter, just finishing her breakfast at the hotel preparatory to leaving in her machine for the ranch, laid down her knife and fork and looked with dilated eyes at Denver... Poleon Doret's Hand Is Quicker Than His Tongue
The trader's house sat back of the post, farther up on the hill. It was a large, sleepy house, sprawling against the sunny side of the slope, as if it had sought the southern exposure for warmth, and had dozed off one sultry afternoon and never wa... Pot Shots
There was an old mission at the outskirts of the town of Skull, established many years before there were any other buildings in the vicinity. The Spanish fathers had built it for the Indians, and it remained a sanctuary, in spite of the roughness a... Progress Of The Lost Dog
It was not even an hour's visit that the Virginian was able to pay his lady love. But neither had he come a hundred miles to see her. The necessities of his wandering work had chanced to bring him close enough for a glimpse of her, and this glimps... Prophets Of Evil
The difference between success and failure is sometimes only a hair's breadth, the turning of a hand, and although the man who loses is frequently as deserving of commendation as the man who wins he seldom receives it, and Bruce knew that this wou... Prosper Comes To A Decision
Perhaps, in spite of his gruesome boast as to dead men, it was as much to satisfy his own spirit as to comfort Joan's that Prosper actually did undertake a journey to the cabin that had belonged to Pierre. It was true that Prosper had never been a... Prosperity And Parting
They were both so excited that at first they couldn't talk, but could only stare at each other in speechless delight. Jim was trembling, for he was still weak from his long illness, and he steadied himself by attentions to Zaraza and by bidding Jo... Prove It! Prove It!
Sam Bleyer, superintendent of the big Verinder mines, had been up to see his chief at the hotel and was passing the private sitting-room of the Farquhar party when a voice hailed him. He bowed inclusively to Lady Farquhar, Miss Seldon, and Miss Dw... Prowlers In Camp
"Huh! so it's you, is it!" cried Link Merwell, in surly tones. "So you are after my mine!" cried Roger, sharply. "Well, I'll tell you right now, if you locate it, it won't do you any good." "Bah! We know what we are doing," retorted the youth ... Punch Verses Prestige
It seems to be a popular belief among those who are unfamiliar with the business of making motion pictures that all dangerous or difficult feats are merely tricks of the camera, and that the actors themselves take no risks whatever. The truth is th... Pursuit
Fire flames darted occasionally from the high tulles, licking the darkness like the tongues of venomous serpents. Rifles cracked, and bullets, fired at random, buzzed across the sand flats. Kid Wolf had an uncomfortable few minutes ahead of him. ... Quality And Equality
To the circle at Bennington, a letter from Bear Creek was always a welcome summons to gather and hear of doings very strange to Vermont. And when the tale of the changed babies arrived duly by the post, it created a more than usual sensation, and ... Rangers
Longorio stared first at the huddled, perspiring man beside the telephone and then at the frightened woman. "Is that the truth?" he demanded, harshly. "Yes," Austin answered. "They are bringing the body to this side. You know what that means." ... Realizing A Passion
Ruth stood for a long time on the porch after Hagar's departure, gripped by emotions, that had had no duplicates in all her days. Never before had she thought herself capable of experiencing such emotions. For the man she loved was in danger. She ... Receiving At Los Lobos
The trip to Lasalle County was mere pastime. All three of the outfits kept in touch with each other, camping far enough apart to avoid any conflict in night-herding the remudas. The only incident to mar the pleasure of the outing was the discovery o... Red Brings Trouble
After a night spent on the plain and a cigarette for his breakfast, Hopalong, grouchy and hungry, rode slowly to the place appointed for his meeting with Red, but Mr. Connors was over two hours late. It was now mid-forenoon and Hopalong occupied his... Red River Station
When the spirit of a man is once broken, he becomes useless. On the trail it is necessary to have some diversion from hard work, long hours, and exposure to the elements. With man and beast, from the Brazos to Red River was a fire test of physical e... Relays
The horses from St. Vincent already wheezed from the run, but the mounts of the posse were staggering completely blown. Ever since they left Rickett they had been going at close to top speed and the last rush finished them; at least seven of that ch... Rescue Requited
A change had come over the spirit of Camp Sandy's dream. The garrison that had gone to bed the previous night, leaving Natzie silent, watchful, wistful at the post commander's door, had hardly a thought that was not full of sympathy and admiration... Revelations
It was the Mexican woman, Maria. As Buck recognized her he rose quietly and moved swiftly toward the door. But if he had hoped to catch her unawares, he was disappointed. He had scarcely taken a step when, through the telltale mirror, he saw her s... Riders In The Background
Luck, as explained elsewhere, was sweating and swearing at the heat in Bear Canon. The sun had crept around so that it shone full into a certain bowlder-strewn defile, and up this sunbaked gash old Applehead was toiling, leading the scrawniest burro... Riders Of The Purple Sage
Black Star and Night, answering to spur, swept swiftly westward along the white, slow-rising, sage-bordered trail. Venters heard a mournful howl from Ring, but Whitie was silent. The blacks settled into their fleet, long-striding gallop. T... Riding The Ranges
THE shepherds were home in the oasis that evening, and next day the tragedy of the sheep was a thing of the past. No other circumstance of Hare's four months with the Naabs had so affected him as this swift inevitable sweeping away of the flock; n... Robert Grant Burns Gets Help
"You know the brand, don't you?" the proprietor of the hotel which housed the Great Western Company asked, with the tolerant air which the sophisticated wear when confronted by ignorance. "Easy enough to locate the outfit, by the cattle brand. Wha... Rogers Takes A Hand
The trail herd had made good progress through the valley, and Rogers, aided by the Star men, had kept them going. The men feared no interference with the work, for they had terrorized the ranchers in the valley until the latter well knew the futil... Rosemary Allen Does A Small Sum In Addition
Miss Rosemary Allen, having wielded a wet gunny sack until her eyes were red and smarting and her lungs choked with cinders and her arms so tired she could scarcely lift them, was permitted by fate to be almost the first person who discovered that h... Rowdy Finds Happiness
Miss Conroy was rather listlessly endeavoring to persuade the First Reader class that "catch" should not be pronounced "ketch," when she saw Rowdy ride past the window. Intuition of something amiss sent her to the door before he reached it. "Can'... Rowdy Hires A New Boss
Next morning, after breakfast, Mr. Rodway followed Vaughan out to the stable, and repeated Bill Brown's question. "I'd like to know where yuh got this horse," he began, with an apologetic sort of determination in his tone. "He happens to belong to... Rowdy In A Tough Place
Rowdy, with nice calculation, met Miss Conroy just as she had left the school-house, and noted with much satisfaction that she was riding alone. Miss Conroy, if she had been at all observant, must have seen the light of some fixed purpose shining in... Rowdy Promoted
Rowdy rode closer. "If you don't mind paying duty," he began tentatively, "I can put you next to a range over the line, where I'll guarantee feed and water the year round for every hoof you own." Eagle Creek lifted his head and looked at him "Wher... Run To Earth
When word came to Denver and the other punchers of the Lazy D that Reddy had been pressed into service as a guide for the posse that was pursuing the fugitives they gave vent to their feelings in choice profanity. "Now, ain't that like him? Had to... Running Elk
Up from the valley below came the throb of war drums, the faint rattle of shots, and the distant cries of painted horsemen charging. From my vantage-point on the ridge I had an unobstructed view of the encampment, a great circle of tepees and tent... Runnion Finds The Singing People
"No Creek" Lee came into the trading-post on the following morning, and found Gale attending store as if nothing unusual had occurred. "Say! What's this about you and Stark? I hear you had a horrible run-in, and that you split him up the back li... Rustlers
Swiftly the echoes of the shots died away, leaving the still serenity of the night again unruffled. For a moment or two Stratton waited expectantly; then his shoulders squared decisively. "I reckon it's up to us to find out what's going on down ... Rustlers On The Range
The affair at Cactus Springs had more effect on the life at the Bar- 20 than was realized by the foreman. News travels rapidly, and certain men, whose attributes were not of the sweetest, heard of it and swore vengeance, for Slim Travennes had ma... Sanford
Two or three others came in after a little money, but he put them off easily. "Just been cashing some paper, and took all the ready cash I can spare. Can't you wait till tomorrow? Link's gone down to St. Paul to collect on some paper. Be back on the... Sara Goes On A Journey
"Love is the speaking voice of the Great Hunger. Happy the human who has found one great love. All nature speaks in him profoundly." MUSINGS OF THE ELEPHANT. Jim started up the road but... Scipio Moralizes
Into what mood was it that the Virginian now fell? Being less busy, did he begin to "grieve" about the girl on Bear Creek? I only know that after talking so lengthily he fell into a nine days' silence. The talking part of him deeply and unbrokenly... Scot Versus Saxon
Three women were seated at the moment on the front veranda of the major's quarters--Mrs. Plume, Miss Janet Wren, the captain's sister, and little Mrs. Bridger. The first named had been intently watching the officers as, after the dismissal of thei... Searching For The Landslide Mine
Lost underground! It was a terrible condition of affairs to contemplate, and for an instant Dave's heart almost stopped beating and something like a chill swept down his backbone. What if they should be unable to find their way out of the rocky... Self-defence
When Bruce came out of the canyon, where he had a wider view of the sky, he saw that wicked-looking clouds were piling thick upon one another in the northeast, and he wondered whether the month was the first of November or late October, as Slim in... Set Afoot
The tracks of the six horses led down into a rock-bottomed arroyo so deep in most places that all view of the surrounding mesa was shut off completely, save where the ragged tops of a distant line of hills pushed up into the dazzling blue of the sky... Seven For One
Dangerous men were no novelty for Gregg. He had lived with them, worked with them, as hard-fisted himself as any, and as ready for trouble, but the man of the mountain-desert has a peculiar dread for the practiced, known gun-fighter. In the days of ... Shacks Live Stock And Pilgrims Promptly And Painfully Removed
"I'm looking rather seedy now, while holding down my claim, And my grub it isn't always served the best, And the mice play shyly round me as I lay me down to rest In my little old sod shanty on my claim. Oh, the ... Shadows
A desire to ride once more in the peaceful sunshine of the land she loved was one of the first indications that Barbara was recovering from the shock occasioned by her father's death. For two or three days she had not stirred from her room, except... Shadows On The Mist
The decision which Cavanagh made between love and duty distinguished the officer from the man, the soldier from the civilian. He did not hesitate to act, and yet he suffered a mental conflict as he rode back toward the scene of that inhuman sacrif... Shadows On The Sage-slope
In the cloudy, threatening, waning summer days shadows lengthened down the sage-slope, and Jane Withersteen likened them to the shadows gathering and closing in around her life. Mrs. Larkin died, and little Fay was left an orphan with ... Sharon's Choice
Under Providence, a man may achieve the making of many things--ships, books, fortunes, himself even, quite often enough to encourage others; but let him beware of creating a town. Towns mostly happen. No real-estate operator decided that Rome shou... Sheep
Slim rising first from dinner on the next day but one opened the door of the mess-house, and stood there idly picking his teeth before he went about his work. After a minute of listening to the boys "joshing" old Patsy about some gooseberry pies he ... Sheriff Hardenberg Intervenes
During that brief lull Buck found time to wonder why no one had sense enough to use a gun to bring them down. But almost as swiftly the answer came to him; they dared not risk the sound of a shot bringing interference from without. He flashed a gl... Shorty Dreams
I. "Funny you don't gamble none," Shorty said to Smoke one night in the Elkhorn. "Ain't it in your blood?" "It is," Smoke answered. "But the statistics are in my head. I like an even break for my money." All about them, in the huge ... Shot To The Core With Sunlight
The storm had blown itself out before morning. A white world sparkled with flashes of sunlight when Moya opened the door of the cabin and gazed out. Looking down into the peaceful valley below, it was hard to believe that death had called to them ... Silver Spruce And Aspens
The rest of that night seemed to Venters only a few moments of starlight, a dark overcasting of sky, an hour or so of gray gloom, and then the lighting of dawn. When he had bestirred himself, feeding the hungry dogs and breaking his... Silvermane
LITTLE dew fell on the night of July first; the dawn brightened without mists; a hot sun rose; the short summer of the plateau had begun. As Hare rose, refreshed and happy from his breakfast, his whistle was cut short by the Indian. "Ugh!" ex... Singing Cliffs
Old Tom had rolled two hundred yards down the canyon, leaving a red trail and bits of fur behind him. When I had clambered down to the steep slide where he had lodged, Sounder and Jude had just decided he was no longer worth biting, and were wagging... Single-handed
Noting the concerted movement toward him, Harlan grinned at Barbara, gently disengaged himself from her grasp, and urged her toward the door of the sheriff's office. She made no objection, for she felt that further trouble impended, and she knew s... Sir Redmond Gets His Answer
"Before long, dear, we shall get on the great ship, and ride across the large, large ocean, and be at home. You will be delighted to see Peggy, and Rupert, and the dogs, won't you, dear?" Miss Hayes, her cheeks actually getting some color into the... Sir Redmond Waits His Answer
Beatrice felt distinctly out of sorts the next day, and chose an hour for her ride when she felt reasonably secure from unwelcome company. But when she went out into the sunshine there was Sir Redmond waiting with Rex and his big gray. Beatrice wa... Sister And Brother
Then Madeline returned to the little parlor with the brother whom she had hardly recognized. "Majesty!" he exclaimed. "To think of your being here!" The warmth stole back along her veins. She remembered how that pet name had sounded from the li... Slim's Sister
Bruce Burt! the murderer! Of all things in the world that he should be "The Man from the Bitter Roots"--dining at the Strathmore--the guest of Winfield Harrah! Weren't people punished for murder in the West? Sprudell had intimated that he would ha...