The Rustlers of Pecos County Read online

  The cowboys arrived first, all dressed in their best, clean shaven, red faced, bright eyed, eager for the fun to commence. Then the young people from town, and a good sprinkling of older people, came in a steady stream.

  Miss Sampson received them graciously, excused her father's absence, and bade them be at home.

  The music, or the discordance that went by that name, was furnished by two cowboys with banjos and an antediluvian gentleman with a fiddle. Nevertheless, it was music that could be danced to, and there was no lack of enthusiasm.

  I went from porch to parlor and thence to patio, watching and amused. The lights and the decorations of flowers, the bright dresses and the flashy scarfs of the cowboys furnished a gay enough scene to a man of lonesome and stern life like mine. During the dance there was a steady, continuous shuffling tramp of boots, and during the interval following a steady, low hum of merry talk and laughter.

  My wandering from place to place, apart from my usual careful observation, was an unobtrusive but, to me, a sneaking pursuit of Sally Langdon.

  She had on a white dress I had never seen with a low neck and short sleeves, and she looked so sweet, so dainty, so altogether desirable, that I groaned a hundred times in my jealousy. Because, manifestly, Sally did not intend to run any risk of my not seeing her in her glory, no matter where my eyes looked.

  A couple of times in promenading I passed her on the arm of some proud cowboy or gallant young buck from town, and on these occasions she favored her escort with a languishing glance that probably did as much damage to him as to me.

  Presently she caught me red-handed in my careless, sauntering pursuit of her, and then, whether by intent or from indifference, she apparently deigned me no more notice. But, quick to feel a difference in her, I marked that from that moment her gaiety gradually merged into coquettishness, and soon into flirtation.

  Then, just to see how far she would go, perhaps desperately hoping she would make me hate her, I followed her shamelessly from patio to parlor, porch to court, even to the waltz.

  To her credit, she always weakened when some young fellow got her in a corner and tried to push the flirting to extremes. Young Waters was the only one lucky enough to kiss her, and there was more of strength in his conquest of her than any decent fellow could be proud of.

  When George Wright sought Sally out there was added to my jealousy a real anxiety. I had brushed against Wright more than once that evening. He was not drunk, yet under the influence of liquor.

  Sally, however, evidently did not discover that, because, knowing her abhorrence of drink, I believed she would not have walked out with him had she known. Anyway, I followed them, close in the shadow.

  Wright was unusually gay. I saw him put his arm around her without remonstrance. When the music recommenced they went back to the house. Wright danced with Sally, not ungracefully for a man who rode a horse as much as he. After the dance he waved aside Sally's many partners, not so gaily as would have been consistent with good feeling, and led her away. I followed. They ended up that walk at the extreme corner of the patio, where, under gaily colored lights, a little arbor had been made among the flowers and vines.

  Sally seemed to have lost something of her vivacity. They had not been out of my sight for a moment before Sally cried out. It was a cry of impatience or remonstrance, rather than alarm, but I decided that it would serve me an excuse.

  I dashed back, leaped to the door of the arbor, my hand on my gun.

  Wright was holding Sally. When he heard me he let her go. Then she uttered a cry that was one of alarm. Her face blanched; her eyes grew strained. One hand went to her breast. She thought I meant to kill Wright.

  "Excuse me," I burst out frankly, turning to Wright. I never saw a hyena, but he looked like one. "I heard a squeal. Thought a girl was hurt, or something. Miss Sampson gave me orders to watch out for accidents, fire, anything. So excuse me, Wright."

  As I stepped back, to my amazement, Sally, excusing herself to the scowling Wright, hurriedly joined me.

  "Oh, it's our dance, Russ!"

  She took my arm and we walked through the patio.

  "I'm afraid of him, Russ," she whispered. "You frightened me worse though. You didn't mean to-to-"

  "I made a bluff. Saw he'd been drinking, so I kept near you."

  "You return good for evil," she replied, squeezing my arm. "Russ, let me tell you-whenever anything frightens me since we got here I think of you. If you're only near I feel safe."

  We paused at the door leading into the big parlor. Couples were passing. Here I could scarcely distinguish the last words she said. She stood before me, eyes downcast, face flushed, as sweet and pretty a lass as man could want to see, and with her hand she twisted round and round a silver button on my buckskin vest.

  "Dance with me, the rest of this," she said. "George shooed away my partner. I'm glad for the chance. Dance with me, Russ-not gallantly or dutifully because I ask you, but because youwant to. Else not at all."

  There was a limit to my endurance. There would hardly be another evening like this, at least, for me, in that country. I capitulated with what grace I could express.

  We went into the parlor, and as we joined the dancers, despite all that confusion I heard her whisper: "I've been a little beast to you."

  That dance seemingly lasted only a moment-a moment while she was all airy grace, radiant, and alluring, floating close to me, with our hands clasped. Then it appeared the music had ceased, the couples were finding seats, and Sally and I were accosted by Miss Sampson.

  She said we made a graceful couple in the dance. And Sally said she did not have to reach up a mile to me-I was not so awfully tall.

  And I, tongue-tied for once, said nothing.

  Wright had returned and was now standing, cigarette between lips, in the door leading out to the patio. At the same moment that I heard a heavy tramp of boots, from the porch side I saw Wright's face change remarkably, expressing amaze, consternation, then fear.

  I wheeled in time to see Vaughn Steele bend his head to enter the door on that side. The dancers fell back.

  At sight of him I was again the Ranger, his ally. Steele was pale, yet heated. He panted. He wore no hat. He had his coat turned up and with left hand he held the lapels together.

  In a quick ensuing silence Miss Sampson rose, white as her dress. The young women present stared in astonishment and their partners showed excitement.

  "Miss Sampson, I came to search your house!" panted Steele, courteously, yet with authority.

  I disengaged myself from Sally, who was clinging to my hands, and I stepped forward out of the corner. Steele had been running. Why did he hold his coat like that? I sensed action, and the cold thrill animated me.

  Miss Sampson's astonishment was succeeded by anger difficult to control.

  "In the absence of my father I am mistress here. I will not permit you to search my house."

  "Then I regret to say I must do so without your permission," he said sternly.

  "Do not dare!" she flashed. She stood erect, her bosom swelling, her eyes magnificently black with passion. "How dare you intrude here? Have you not insulted us enough? To search my house to-night-to break up my party-oh, it's worse than outrage! Why on earth do you want to search here? Ah, for the same reason you dragged a poor innocent man into my father's court! Sir, I forbid you to take another step into this house."

  Steele's face was bloodless now, and I wondered if it had to do with her scathing scorn or something that he hid with his hand closing his coat that way.

  "Miss Sampson, I don't need warrants to search houses," he said. "But this time I'll respect your command. It would be too bad to spoil your party. Let me add, perhaps you do me a little wrong. God knows I hope so. I was shot by a rustler. He fled. I chased him here. He has taken refuge here-in your father's house. He's hidden somewhere."

  Steele spread wide his coat lapels. He wore a light shirt, the color of which in places was white. The rest was all a bloody mass
from which dark red drops fell to the floor.

  "Oh!" cried Miss Sampson.

  Scorn and passion vanished in the horror, the pity, of a woman who imagined she saw a man mortally wounded. It was a hard sight for a woman's eyes, that crimson, heaving breast.

  "Surely I didn't see that," went on Steele, closing his coat. "You used unforgettable words, Miss Sampson. From you they hurt. For I stand alone. My fight is to make Linrock safer, cleaner, a better home for women and children. Some day you will remember what you said."

  How splendid he looked, how strong against odds. How simple a dignity fitted his words. Why, a woman far blinder than Diane Sampson could have seen that here stood a man.

  Steele bowed, turned on his heel, and strode out to vanish in the dark.

  Then while she stood bewildered, still shocked, I elected to do some rapid thinking.

  How seriously was Steele injured? An instant's thought was enough to tell me that if he had sustained any more than a flesh wound he would not have chased his assailant, not with so much at stake in the future.

  Then I concerned myself with a cold grip of desire to get near the rustler who had wounded Steele. As I started forward, however, Miss Sampson defeated me. Sally once more clung to my hands, and directly we were surrounded by an excited circle.

  It took a moment or two to calm them.

  "Then there's a rustler-here-hiding?" repeated Miss Sampson.

  "Miss Sampson, I'll find him. I'll rout him out," I said.

  "Yes, yes, find him, Russ, but don't use violence," she replied. "Send him away-no, give him over to-"

  "Nothing of the kind," interrupted George Wright, loud-voiced. "Cousin, go on with your dance. I'll take a couple of cowboys. I'll find this-this rustler, if there's one here. But I think it's only another bluff of Steele's."

  This from Wright angered me deeply, and I strode right for the door.

  "Where are you going?" he demanded.

  "I've Miss Sampson's orders. She wants me to find this hidden man. She trusts me not to allow any violence."

  "Didn't I say I'd see to that?" he snarled.

  "Wright, I don't care what you say," I retorted. "But I'm thinking you might not want me to find this rustler."

  Wright turned black in the face. Verily, if he had worn a gun he would have pulled it on me. As it was, Miss Sampson's interference probably prevented more words, if no worse.

  "Don't quarrel," she said. "George, you go with Russ. Please hurry. I'll be nervous till the rustler's found or you're sure there's not one."

  We started with several cowboys to ransack the house. We went through the rooms, searching, calling out, flashing our lanterns in dark places.

  It struck me forcibly that Wright did all the calling. He hurried, too, tried to keep in the lead. I wondered if he knew his voice would be recognized by the hiding man.

  Be that as it might, it was I who peered into a dark corner, and then with a cocked gun leveled I said: "Come out!"

  He came forth into the flare of lanterns, a tall, slim, dark-faced youth, wearing dark sombrero, blouse and trousers. I collared him before any of the others could move, and I held the gun close enough to make him shrink.

  But he did not impress me as being frightened just then; nevertheless, he had a clammy face, the pallid look of a man who had just gotten over a shock. He peered into my face, then into that of the cowboy next to me, then into Wright's and if ever in my life I beheld relief I saw it then.

  That was all I needed to know, but I meant to find out more if I could.

  "Who're you?" I asked quietly.

  He gazed rather arrogantly down at me. It always irritated me to be looked down at that way.

  "Say, don't be gay with me or you'll get it good," I yelled, prodding him in the side with the cocked gun. "Who are you? Quick!"

  "Bo Snecker," he said.

  "Any relation to Bill Snecker?"

  "His son."

  "What'd you hide here for?"

  He appeared to grow sullen.

  "Reckoned I'd be as safe in Sampson's as anywheres."

  "Ahuh! You're taking a long chance," I replied, and he never knew, or any of the others, just how long a chance that was.

  Sight of Steele's bloody breast remained with me, and I had something sinister to combat. This was no time for me to reveal myself or to show unusual feeling or interest for Steele.

  As Steele had abandoned his search, I had nothing to do now but let the others decide what disposition was to be made of Snecker.

  "Wright, what'll you do with him?" I queried, as if uncertain, now the capture was made. I let Snecker go and sheathed my weapon.

  That seemed a signal for him to come to life. I guessed he had not much fancied the wide and somewhat variable sweep of that cocked gun.

  "I'll see to that," replied Wright gruffly, and he pushed Snecker in front of him into the hall. I followed them out into the court at the back of the house.

  As I had very little further curiosity I did not wait to see where they went, but hurried back to relieve Miss Sampson and Sally.

  I found them as I had left them-Sally quiet, pale, Miss Sampson nervous and distressed. I soon calmed their fears of any further trouble or possible disturbance. Miss Sampson then became curious and wanted to know who the rustler was.

  "How strange he should come here," she said several times.

  "Probably he'd run this way or thought he had a better chance to hide where there was dancing and confusion," I replied glibly.

  I wondered how much longer I would find myself keen to shunt her mind from any channel leading to suspicion.

  "Would papa have arrested him?" she asked.

  "Colonel Sampson might have made it hot for him," I replied frankly, feeling that if what I said had a double meaning it still was no lie.

  "Oh, I forgot-the Ranger!" she exclaimed suddenly. "That awful sight-the whole front of him bloody! Russ, how could he stand up under such a wound? Do you think it'll kill him?"

  "That's hard to say. A man like Steele can stand a lot."

  "Russ, please go find him! See how it is with him!" she said, almost pleadingly.

  I started, glad of the chance and hurried down toward the town.

  There was a light in the little adobe house where he lived, and proceeding cautiously, so as to be sure no one saw me, I went close and whistled low in a way he would recognize. Then he opened the door and I went in.

  "Hello, son!" he said. "You needn't have worried. Sling a blanket over that window so no one can see in."

  He had his shirt off and had been in the act of bandaging a wound that the bullet had cut in his shoulder.

  "Let me tie that up," I said, taking the strips of linen. "Ahuh! Shot you from behind, didn't he?"

  "How else, you locoed lady-charmer? It's a wonder I didn't have to tell you that."

  "Tell me about it."

  Steele related a circumstance differing little from other attempts at his life, and concluded by saying that Snecker was a good runner if he was not a good shot.

  I finished the bandaging and stood off, admiring Steele's magnificent shoulders. I noted, too, on the fine white skin more than one scar made by bullets. I got an impression that his strength and vitality were like his spirit-unconquerable!

  "So you knew it was Bill Snecker's son?" I asked when I had told him about finding the rustler.

  "Sure. Jim Hoden pointed him out to me yesterday. Both the Sneckers are in town. From now on we're going to be busy, Russ."

  "It can't come too soon for me," I replied. "Shall I chuck my job? Come out from behind these cowboy togs?"

  "Not yet. We need proof, Russ. We've got to be able to prove things. Hang on at the ranch yet awhile."

  "This Bo Snecker was scared stiff till he recognized Wright. Isn't that proof?"

  "No, that's nothing. We've got to catch Sampson and Wright red-handed."

  "I don't like the idea of you trailing along alone," I protested. "Remember what Neal told me. I'm to kick.
It's time for me to hang round with a couple of guns. You'll never use one."

  "The hell I won't," he retorted, with a dark glance of passion. I was surprised that my remark had angered him. "You fellows are all wrong. I knowwhen to throw a gun. You ought to remember that Rangers have a bad name for wanting to shoot. And I'm afraid it's deserved."

  "Did you shoot at Snecker?" I queried.

  "I could have got him in the back. But that wouldn't do. I shot three times at his legs-tried to let him down. I'd have made him tell everything he knew, but he ran. He was too fast for me."

  "Shooting at his legs! No wonder he ran. He savvied your game all right. It's funny, Vaughn, how these rustlers and gunmen don't mind being killed. But to cripple them, rope them, jail them-that's hell to them! Well, I'm to go on, up at the ranch, falling further in love with that sweet kid instead of coming out straight to face things with you?"

  Steele had to laugh, yet he was more thoughtful of my insistence.

  "Russ, you think you have patience, but you don't know what patience is. I won't be hurried on this job. But I'll tell you what: I'll hang under cover most of the time when you're not close to me. See? That can be managed. I'll watch for you when you come in town. We'll go in the same places. And in case I get busy you can stand by and trail along after me. That satisfy you?"

  "Fine!" I said, both delighted and relieved. "Well, I'll have to rustle back now to tell Miss Sampson you're all right."

  Steele had about finished pulling on a clean shirt, exercising care not to disarrange the bandages; and he stopped short to turn squarely and look at me with hungry eyes.

  "Russ, did she-show sympathy?"

  "She was all broken up about it. Thought you were going to die."

  "Did she send you?"

  "Sure. And she said hurry," I replied.

  I was not a little gleeful over the apparent possibility of Steele being in the same boat with me.

  "Do you think she would have cared if-if I had been shot up bad?"

  The great giant of a Ranger asked this like a boy, hesitatingly, with color in his face.

  "Care! Vaughn, you're as thickheaded as you say I'm locoed. Diane Sampson has fallen in love with you! That's all. Love at first sight! She doesn't realize it. But I know."