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Steele had not been able to recognize any of these night visitors, and he did not think the time was ripe for a bold holding up of one of them. Jim Hoden had forcibly declared and stated that some deviltry was afoot, something vastly different from Blome's open intention of meeting the Ranger. Hoden was right.
Brick saw the need of expediency, if Wright did not realize it, and he pulled the raving man out of the place. He hurried Wright down the street, leaving the horses behind. Steele calmly sheathed his gun. "Well, I guess that opens the ball," he said as I came out. Hoden seemed fascinated by the spots of blood on the table-cloths. It was horrible to see him rubbing his hands there like a ghoul!
Because Jim swore you were wrong not to kill instead of wing him. You were wrong." "No, Russ, I never let feeling run wild with my head. We can't prove a thing on Wright." "Come on; let's hunt him up. I'll bet I can accuse him and make him show his hand. Come on!" That Steele found me hard to resist was all the satisfaction I got for the anger and desire to avenge Jim Hoden that consumed me.
The provisions at Hoden are dates and barley, which they have in plenty, and the inhabitants drink the milk of camels and other animals, as they have no wine. They have some cows and goats, the former being greatly smaller than those of Italy; but the number of these is not great, as the country is very dry.
Somehow I expected Steele to arrive at that moment, and his step did not surprise me. He came round the corner as he always turned any corner, quick, alert, with his hand down. If I had been an enemy waiting there with a gun I would have needed to hurry. Steele was instinctively and habitually on the defense. "Hello, son! How are Mrs. Hoden and the youngster to-day?" he asked. "Hello yourself!
Some feller I never seen before come in from the hall an' hit him an' wrastled him on the floor. Then this big Ranger grabbed me an' fetched me here. I didn't do nothin'. This Ranger's hankerin' to arrest somebody. Thet's my hunch, Sampson." "What have you to say about this, Hoden?" sharply queried Sampson.
"I tell you what, fellows," said Steele, "we've just had a few pleasant moments with the man who has made it healthy to keep close-mouthed in Linrock." Hoden lifted his shaking hands. "What'd you wing him for?" he wailed. "He was drawin' on you. Shootin' arms off men like him won't do out here." I was inclined to agree with Hoden.
If this poor, stricken woman had any resentment it speedily melted in the warmth and sweetness of Miss Sampson's manner. My idea was that the impression of Diane Sampson's beauty was always swiftly succeeded by that of her generosity and nobility. At any rate, she had started well with Mrs. Hoden, and no sooner had she begun to talk to the children than both they and the mother were won.
"Thet's funny, Russ, seein' as you drift with the gang Steele's bound to fight," remarked Hoden. "Sure. I'm a sport. If I can't gamble with gentlemen I'll gamble with rustlers." Again he gave a slight start, and this time he hid his eyes. "Wal, Russ, I've heard you was slick," he said. "You tumble, Jim. I'm a little better on the draw." "On the draw? With cards, an' gun, too, eh?"
Even the great desert, which extends 750 miles from north to south, almost to the river Senegal, is thinly interspersed by several wandering tribes of the Azanhaji. Called Tombuto in the original, and Ataubat in Grynaeus. Astl. Hoden stands in an ouasis, or watered island, in the sea of sand, or great desert, about lat. 19°20'N. and W. long. 11°40'. E.