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He had fought the stockmen more than once, and, with the memory of the recent collision and the advantages on the other side, he welcomed the chance of a conflict on anything like equal terms. Monteith did not stand in any personal fear of the famous rustler, and was fully armed and on the alert.
He found a pride in talking to Kate, with Kelly in and out of the room, and launched into unrestrained eulogies of the famed rustler, always the friend of the poor man, once king of the great north range itself. "It's a pity," murmured Kate, when she felt she must say something, "that he ever went wrong." Bradley had a point to offer even on that.
"Any honest citizen of Fairdale can now see what's plain yours is a damn poor hand! You're going to hear me call a spade a spade. In the two years you've been Mayor you've never arrested one rustler. Strange, when Fairdale's a nest for rustlers! You've never sent a prisoner to Del Rio, let alone to Austin. You have no jail.
A solid corral, almost a stockade, stood near the buildings and a few white points indicated that a teepee or two had been pitched along its edge. "That's Arnold's stockade," Harris explained to Deane. "Arnold was an old-time rustler that finished at the end of a rope fifteen years ago. Now all the drifters in the country stop over here if they want a place to hole up."
Hither the stage-robber came, riding hard when the list of his crimes had grown too long. The murderer, the rustler, and the outlaw spurred their ponies on eastward when the valley of the San Pedro was too hot for them and took refuge here among their kind.
"No; I have business elsewhere," was the curt answer, as the fellow wheeled and spurred off on a gallop. Budd Hankinson and Grizzly Weber, the two hired men, were absent, looking after the cattle, for the rustler is a night hawk who often gets in the best part of his work between the set and rise of sun. Mrs. Whitney was sitting in the gloom, alone in her sorrow.
If he arose and shot the rustler, that act would defeat his plan of slipping on around upon the other outposts who were firing at the cabins. Jean wanted to call softly to Greaves, "You're right about the half-breed!" and then, as he wheeled aghast, to kill him as he moved. But it suited Jean to risk leaping upon the man.
If he ever finds out that Jack stole from his own father stole cattle like a common rustler, and sold them for gold to gamble and drink with he will kill him!... That's as true as fate.... Think how horrible that would be for me! Because I'm to blame here, mostly. I fell in love with you, Wilson Moore, otherwise I could have saved Jack already. "But it's not that I think of myself.
For Keller had followed Yeager from the cabin and was standing in the doorway with his hands in his pockets. He wore no hat, and had the manner of one very much at home. "He's helping Jim with his assessment work," she answered in the same low tone. "It's too bad you lost the rustler. He must have broken for the hills." Healy's eyes had narrowed to slits.
That was somethin' which I was wantin' him to know. I don't want it to be said that I didn't give him a chance." Stafford rose from his chair, taking a step toward the stray-man. "Why, what ?" he began. But a look at the stray-man's face silenced him. "I've come over here to-day to show you that rustler I told you about yesterday. I'm goin' to look for him now.
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