author - "Charles Alden Seltzer"
one a lot of squirmin'. Been followin' us--you reckon?"They descended the slope of the hill, still talking. Evidently,Sanderson's silence had completely convinced them that they had killedhim. But halfway down the hill, one of the men, watching the rock nearSanderson as he walked, saw the muzzle of Sanderson's rifle projectingfrom between the two rocks. For the second time since the appearance of Sanderson on the scene theman discharged his rifle from the hip, and for the second time
e. Well, put it down and open the door. There's some things I want to say to you.""What about?" asked Hamlin, suspiciously. Overwhelming every other thought in his mind was the conviction that Davies and Harris had apprised Lawler of what had happened the night before, and that Lawler had come to capture him, single-handed. "About Ruth." The wild gleam in Hamlin's eyes began to dull. However, he was still suspicious. "You seen any of your men this mornin'--Davies
nter's chill had not yet gone out of the air. But then, Willard had earned his ducking.The girl cleared her throat. "We have had an accident," she informed the rider, her voice a little husky. At this word he swept his hat from his head and bowed to her. "Why, I reckon you have, ma'am," he said. "Didn't you have no driver?" "Why, yes," returned the girl hesitatingly, for she thought she detected sarcasm in his voice, and she had to look twice at him to
start, he noted it and halted his pony after reaching the level to look about him.There was no sign of any cattle. But he reflected that perhaps a new range had been opened. Thirteen years is a long time, and many changes could have come during his absence. He was about to urge his pony on again, when some impulse moved him to turn in the saddle and glance at the hill he had just vacated. At about the spot where he had sat--perhaps two hundred yards distant--he saw a man on a horse, sitting
at first, that the two men were shooting at another man, concealed behind the rock; but the fact that there were only two horses indicated that he had been in error. No man would be foolhardy enough to attempt to cross the desert on foot, and unless a man were a friend he would not be carried upon another man's horse. Therefore, it seemed to be evident that the target at which the men were shooting was not another man.And now, convinced that the men had cornered an animal of some kind, and that
I've about concluded that he ain't comin'. An' so I come over to Dry Bottom to find a man.""You've found one," smiled the stranger. Stafford drew out a handful of double eagles and pressed them into the other's hand. "I'm goin' over to the Two Diamond now," he said. "You'd better wait a day or two, so's no one will get wise. Come right to me, like you was wantin' a job." He started toward the hitching rail for his pony, hesitated and then walked back. "I
-except as they might have been reminded of the dreary distance from the glitter and the tinsel of the East. The mountains, distant and shining, would have meant nothing to them; the strong, pungent aroma of the sage might have nauseated them.But Miss Benham had caught her first glimpse of Manti and the surrounding country from a window of her berth in the car that morning just at dawn, and she loved it. She had lain for some time cuddled up in her bed, watching the sun rise over the distant
one a lot of squirmin'. Been followin' us--you reckon?"They descended the slope of the hill, still talking. Evidently,Sanderson's silence had completely convinced them that they had killedhim. But halfway down the hill, one of the men, watching the rock nearSanderson as he walked, saw the muzzle of Sanderson's rifle projectingfrom between the two rocks. For the second time since the appearance of Sanderson on the scene theman discharged his rifle from the hip, and for the second time
e. Well, put it down and open the door. There's some things I want to say to you.""What about?" asked Hamlin, suspiciously. Overwhelming every other thought in his mind was the conviction that Davies and Harris had apprised Lawler of what had happened the night before, and that Lawler had come to capture him, single-handed. "About Ruth." The wild gleam in Hamlin's eyes began to dull. However, he was still suspicious. "You seen any of your men this mornin'--Davies
nter's chill had not yet gone out of the air. But then, Willard had earned his ducking.The girl cleared her throat. "We have had an accident," she informed the rider, her voice a little husky. At this word he swept his hat from his head and bowed to her. "Why, I reckon you have, ma'am," he said. "Didn't you have no driver?" "Why, yes," returned the girl hesitatingly, for she thought she detected sarcasm in his voice, and she had to look twice at him to
start, he noted it and halted his pony after reaching the level to look about him.There was no sign of any cattle. But he reflected that perhaps a new range had been opened. Thirteen years is a long time, and many changes could have come during his absence. He was about to urge his pony on again, when some impulse moved him to turn in the saddle and glance at the hill he had just vacated. At about the spot where he had sat--perhaps two hundred yards distant--he saw a man on a horse, sitting
at first, that the two men were shooting at another man, concealed behind the rock; but the fact that there were only two horses indicated that he had been in error. No man would be foolhardy enough to attempt to cross the desert on foot, and unless a man were a friend he would not be carried upon another man's horse. Therefore, it seemed to be evident that the target at which the men were shooting was not another man.And now, convinced that the men had cornered an animal of some kind, and that
I've about concluded that he ain't comin'. An' so I come over to Dry Bottom to find a man.""You've found one," smiled the stranger. Stafford drew out a handful of double eagles and pressed them into the other's hand. "I'm goin' over to the Two Diamond now," he said. "You'd better wait a day or two, so's no one will get wise. Come right to me, like you was wantin' a job." He started toward the hitching rail for his pony, hesitated and then walked back. "I
-except as they might have been reminded of the dreary distance from the glitter and the tinsel of the East. The mountains, distant and shining, would have meant nothing to them; the strong, pungent aroma of the sage might have nauseated them.But Miss Benham had caught her first glimpse of Manti and the surrounding country from a window of her berth in the car that morning just at dawn, and she loved it. She had lain for some time cuddled up in her bed, watching the sun rise over the distant