The Coming of Cassidy-And the Others

ghting outfit there was no room for a hothead. "Cimarron" was boss of the outfit that was driving a large herd of cattle to California, a feat that had been accomplished before, but that no m

nd it out quick. I never did see nobod

rail, and he was tired of the coast range. He had forgotten the trail-boss during the last three days of his solitary journeying and the fact that he was in th

of mesas swung off to the west, and to the east the range grew steadily more level as it swept toward the peaceful river lying in the distant valley like a carelessly flung ro

make riding a pleasure and he did not mind the dryness of the season. Twice that day he detoured to ride around prairie-dog towns and the sight of buffalo skeletons lying in groups was not rare. Aler

wung into sight out of a draw and reined in quickly. Bill's hand fell carelessly to his side while he regarded the stran

pleasing face and a "good eye." His age was about thirty and the surface indica

r. "Better join us. Couple of buff

. Glancing around he readily picked out the rectangular blot in the valley, though

ion, up here, I reckon. Th' wolves 'll walk i

couple, first; an' then th' whole cussed trib

nters, but he nodded. "Yes. But if that couple do

ll save a l

ther. But, anyhow, I ain't got no border ruffians like t

t ended yet for some of them fell

their next day's ride and the elder, looking up, appealed to Bill

d chips. But th' gray wolv

triumphantly exclaim

dif'rence, is they?"

y their faces. When the pipes were going and the supper wreck cleaned away, Buck leaned against

at a job being offered on another man's ranch. "I 'm headed north.

before. My other puncher 'll be back in a few weeks with th' supplies,

'em back to cow-country an' sell

ter had so soon forgotten what he had been told regarding the ownership of the

tily replied the hunter, smiling to h

sply retorted Buck. "I ain't

nger hunter. He was surprised by the sharpness of th

ace of such handicaps. He liked game men, better if they were square, and he believed this foreman

good money do? But don't yo

been hanging in its holster on the wall where he had left it, lay unsheathed close to his thigh and he awakened frequently during the night so keyed was he for the slightest sound. Up first in the morning, he replaced the gun in its scabbard before the others o

e laughed, and then ceased abruptly and started with unbelieving eyes at the mouth of a draw not far away. A trotting line of gray wolves was emerging from it and swinging toward the south-west ten abreast. He had never heard of such a thing before and watched them in amazement. "Well, I'm-!" he exclaimed, and his Colt

a patch of sand and he knew them to be horsemen. His face slowly reddened with anger at the espionage, for he had not thought the cowmen could doubt his good wi

y were going back to that herd of cattle, easily turned from skinning buffalo to cattle, and on a large scale. To do this they would have to kill two men and then, waiting for the absent puncher to return with the wagon, kill him a

whirred at top speed with choppy, tied-in stride in a winding circle for the humble sod hut on Snake Creek. The rider growled at the evident speed of the two men ahead, for he had not gained upon them despite his efforts. "If

the last, low hill for that afforded by a draw leading to within a hundred yards of the dugout's rea

l he listened intently for some moments and then suddenly caught sight of a shadow slowly creeping past his toes. Quickly as he sprang aside he barely missed the flashin

enemy back against the low roof of the dugout; but as the hunter tripped over it and fell backward, he pulled Bill with him. Fighting desperately they rolled across the roof and dropped to the sloping earth at the doorway, so tightly locked in each other's arm

m they crashed into the heavy table and fell with it on top of them. The hunter got its full weight and the gash in his forehead filled his eyes with blood. By a desperate effort he pinned Bill's arm under his knee and with his left hand secured a throat grip, but the under man wriggled furiously and bridged so suddenly as to throw the hunter off

ng roar of the six-shooter, the powder blowing away part of his shirt and burning his side. Twisting sideways he grasped the weapon with one hand, the wrist with the other and bent the gun slowly back, forcing its muzzle farther and farth

, black fantastic blots that changed form with great swiftness and the hut danced and shifted like a thing of life. Hot bands seemed to encircle his throat and the throbbing in his temples was like blows of a hammer. While he writhed and fought for breath a faint gunshot reached his ears and found him apathetic. But the second, following closely upon the first, seemed clearer and brought him to himself lo

wn and across the draw. His first shot had been an inexcusable blunder for a marksman like himself and now he had a desperate man and a very

led back into the crevice, arose and slipped away, intending to crawl to the edge of the mesa further down and get in a shot from a new angle before his enemy learned of the shift; and this shot would not be a blunder.

hand of the hunter seemed to melt into smoke, and Bill, firing at the same instant, blundered into a hit when his surprise and carelessness should have cost him dearly. His bullet, missing its intended mark by inches, struck the still moving Colt of the other, knocking it into the air and numbing the hand th

ort came crashing back from half a dozen points as he nodded. "Drop it, an' turn 'round." As the other obeyed he stepped cautiously forward, jammed his Colt into the h

ck, grinning foolishly as he realized Buck's error. Turning to approach the edge from another point he felt his sombrero jerk at his head as another bullet, screaming plaintively, followed the first. He dropped like a shot, and commented caustically upon his pauci

unter! This is Cassidy, who you wanted to punch for you. Savvy?" He listened, and grinned at the eloquent silence. "You talk too rapid,

voice from below. Bill raised his arms and slowly stood up. "Now

like to know it." He paused, cogitating. "Reckon we better turn him loose when

m d-d!" he exclaimed, and sank weakly back against

l with more speed than sense, dashed across the draw and up the other side. He nodded sagely as he examined the wound and

"Yo 're all right, Cassidy; yo 're a white man. He 'd 'a' stood a good chance of gettin' me, 'cept for you." A frown clouded his face and he loo

lit it for him, after which he fell to tos

you, an' that other feller, can make a big ranch out of yore little one. Anyhow, I

s hand with a visible effort. "We ca