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"I'm saying again, you used your ranger bluff just to get near Ray Longstreth," Lawson sneered. "Mind you, if you come up there again there'll be hell." "You're right. But not the kind you think," Duane retorted, his voice sharp and cold. "Ray Longstreth wouldn't stoop to know a dirty blood-tracker like you," said Lawson, hotly.
Mrs. Laramie, don't you worry any more. We'll take care of you. Here, Ruth, help me. Whatever is the matter with baby's dress?" Manifestly Miss Longstreth had some difficulty in subduing her emotion. "Why, it's on hind side before," declared Ruth. "I guess Mr. Ranger hasn't dressed many babies." "He did the best he could," said Mrs. Laramie. "Lord only knows what would have become of us!"
For himself he could have waited no longer. But for her! That gun was still held dangerously upward close to her. Duane watched only that. Then a bellow made him jerk his head. Colonel Longstreth stood in the doorway in a magnificent rage. He had no weapon. Strange how he showed no fear! He bellowed something again. Duane's shifting glance caught the robber's sudden movement.
Leave them here to face whatever comes?" "I mean just that." "I'm bad enough, but not that bad," returned Longstreth. "If I can't get the gang to let me off, I'll stay and face the music. All the same, Lawson, did it ever strike you that most of the deals the last few years have been YOURS?" "Yes. If I hadn't rung them in there wouldn't have been any.
Duane hoped as soon as he got clear of the ranch to lose something of the pain he felt. But long after he had tramped out into the open there was a lump in his throat and an ache in his breast. All his thought centered around Ray Longstreth. What a woman she had turned out to be! He seemed to have a vague, hopeless hope that there might be, there must be, some way he could save her.
"You make me very glad. But, Miss Longstreth, please don't speak of wronging me. I have been a a gunman, I am a ranger and much said of me is true. My duty is hard on others sometimes on those who are innocent, alas! But God knows that duty is hard, too, on me." "I did wrong you. If you entered my home again I would think it an honor. "Please please don't, Miss Longstreth," interrupted Duane.
Your father, Ray, insulted in his own court by a rowdy ranger!" "Oh!" cried Ray Longstreth, in mingled distress and anger. "The ranger service wants to rule western Texas," went on Lawson. "These rangers are all a low set, many of them worse than the outlaws they hunt. Some of them were outlaws and gun-fighters before they became rangers. This is one of the worst of the lot.
Before Lawson ever tottered, before he loosed the gun, Longstreth leaped behind him, clasped him with left arm, quick as lightning jerked the gun from both clutching fingers and sheath. Longstreth protected himself with the body of the dead man. Duane saw red flashes, puffs of smoke; he heard quick reports. Something stung his left arm.
But the reason he did not openly accuse Longstreth, the secret of his reticence and fear these Duane thought best to try to learn at some later time. "Hard luck! It certainly was tough," Duane said. "But you're a good loser. And the wheel turns! Now, Laramie, here's what. I need your advice. I've got a little money. But before I lose it I want to invest some.
They had such bright black eyes. Is there really danger here?" "I think so," was Duane's reply. Soft swift steps behind him preceded a harsh voice: "Hands up!" No man quicker than Duane to recognize the intent in those words! His hands shot up. Miss Ruth uttered a little frightened cry and sank into her chair. Miss Longstreth turned white, her eyes dilated.
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