The Coming of Cassidy-And the Others

he cabin on Snake Creek, but it was not severe enough to cause complaint and they weathered it without trouble to speak

g the trail to Scoria, where he hoped to find his friend, Lanky Smith, and where he determined to pu

told him that Lanky had left town two days before bound north. Skinny gravely explained that he always had to look after his missing friend, who was childish, irresponsible and helpless when alone. Lewis laughed heartily as he pictured the absent puncher, and he lau

n that night I found he had flitted. What I want to know is what busi

, amused. "You 're sort

, anyhow," replied Skinny, grinning broadly. "An' w

should ought to 'a' been stuck together, like them other twins was. But i

much, or 'sociate with steady an' reg'lar. Why, lookit him gettin' sore on me, an' fo

th' way I told him to go," and he gave instructions hopelessly inadequate to anyone not a plainsman. Skinny nodded, irritated by what he r

Skinny drew rein

mebody was in town when I left-he shore was thirsty. He ain't

one of th' reasons I 'm goin' to town," and h

the windows and door and then, glancing quickly around, entered. He made straight for the partition in the rear of the building, but the proprietor's voice checked him. "You needn't bother, Skinny-there ain't nobody in there

tired of him, an' so when Walt rode over to see me last night an' told me what th' coyote was doing yesterday, an' what he was yelling around, I just natchurly had to straddle leather an' come in. I can't let h

g noise enough for two. He sho

xt time I sit in a game with fellers that can't drop fifty dollars without saying they was cheated I 'll be a blamed sight bigger fool than I am right now. I should n't 'a' taken cards with 'em after what has passed. Why didn't they say they was cheated, then an' there

ay an' get 'em both before y

ys' start on me an' I want

Quigg remarked. "Everybody knows you pl

everybody else knows-" he stopped suddenly and jerked his gun loose as a shadow fell across the doorsill. Then he laughed and slapped the newcomer on the shoulder: "Hullo, Ace, my boy! You had a narrow squeak then. You want to

I'm feeling too good to b

st th' other time. Ain't that rig

"Quigg, that's better stock; an' would

have 'em. I 'm on th' s

goin' North,"

t how 'd you k

s, you must 'a' told a woman. I heard of it from th' crowd-everyb

n' I am going alone," slowly rep

s is on me. He

is th'

you on sight. An' his brother ain't with him; if he does come in too soon I 'll see he don't make it two to one. Good luck, an' so-long," he said quickl

lounged in the door of the "hash house" farther down the street, all friends of his, and he nodded to them. One of them turned quickly and looked down the intersecting street, saying something that made his companions turn and look with him. The man who had been standing quietly by the corner saloon had disappeared. Skinny smiling knowingly, moved closer to Quigg's shack so as to be better able to see around the indicated corner, and half drew the Col

hey!" he grit

is Colt exploded and a piece of wood sprang from the corner board of Wri

the other corner and stopped. Giving a quick glance around, he smiled suddenly, for the glass in Quigg's half-open door, with the black curtain behind it, made a fair mirror. He could see the reflection of Wright's corral and Ace

chances with a man who would pot-shoot. He wheeled, slipped back along his side of the buildi

lf-raised Colt described a swift, short arc and roared as he alighted. As the bullet sang p

the victor. "Yore brother is n

*

hen started a quick, hot fire for his coffee-making. While gathering fuel for it he came across a large log and determined to use it for his night fire, and for that purpose carried it back to camp with him. It was not lon

e knows I 've got to camp tonight an' he can foller a trail as good as th' next

ay on the saddle. A rifle barrel projected above the saddle, the dim flickering light of the green-wood fire and a stray beam or two from the moon

ly cropped the rich grass, enjoying a good night's rest. An hour passed, another, and a third an

nketed figure on the ground. A glint from the rifle barrel caused it to shrink back deeper into the shadows and raise the weapon it carried. For half a minute it stood thus and then, holding back the trigger of the rifle so there would be no warn

re and smoke leaped into the brush. He bent low to look under the smoke cloud and saw that the figure

faction. "I reckons you won't do no b

rch the body he started and sprang back, gl

sight. "I reckon-" Skinny leaped aside as the other's gun roared out and fired

forward. "I knowed they was coyotes,

on the sand or squatted on their heels and watched it contentedly. "Yes, I got plumb sick of that country,

man, whose eyes were so bright they seemed to be on fir

our thousand head. Reckon there ain't nobody within two hundred mile of him. Lewis said he 's got a fine ran

en Lanky had ridden upon their noon-day camp the little man had not lost a movement that the stranger made

poke to Lanky. "George, here, said as how they finally got

it had to come sometime-he was carryin' things with a purty high hand for a long time. But I 've do

?" asked Geor

can't clean their own range an' pertect the

an, glancing at his leader, "an' about th' same build. But he 's h-

about as tall as me. Size don't make no dif're

"Well, there's one thing about yore friend's ranch: he ain't got no rustlers to fight, so he ain't as b

, 'cause it empties into Mesa River plumb acrost from a big m

s a shar

u?" casually asked Jim a

e turned and threw his saddle on the evil-tempered horse he rode and, cinching deftly, slung himself up by the stirrup. As he struck the saddle there was a sharp report and he pitched off and sprawled grotesquely on the sand. The little man peered through the smoke and slid his gun back into the holster. He turned to his companions, who looked on idly and with but little inte

good cayuse;

ds. He started to draw, but was too late. The crashing report seemed to come from the leader's holster, so quick had been the draw, and the horse sank slowly down, but unobserved. T

ll right; I 've got a proposition for 'em, an' you are goin' up with it. It won't take you so long if you wake up an' don't loaf like you have been. Now you listen close, an' don't forget a word": and the little man shared the plan he had worked out, much to his companion's delight. Ha

ainter and Charley's louder and louder until they rang in his ears. The smile changed subtly and cynicism touched his face and lingered for a moment. "Fine, big bodies-nothing else,"

in, sun-bleached hair and wizened body justified a guess of sixty. A shrewd observer looking him over would find about the man a subtle air of potential destruction, which might have been caused by the way he wore his guns. A second look and the observer would turn away oppressed by a disquieting feeling that evaded analysi

avily mortgaged ranches when the market broke. This was a golden opportunity to stock the little ranch, and Buck was taking advantage of it. But their foreman persisted in telling his troubles and finally, out of politeness, they listened. The burden of the foreman

yawned. "Mebby h

ail, can't he? An' if he can ride past Split M

by he got

might have said, for a stranger had ridden around the corral and

to him hands never beaten on the draw. The stranger glanced at him, but saw nothing more than the level gaze that searched his squinting eyes fo

drawled the stranger. "I

d Buck restles

me up to pun

," replied Buck. "We do

tered a hull lot by th' inhabitants on my way up. I r

alo, too. But Lewis did n't say n

oreman. Lewis missed him. Th' Panhandle must be purty

od enough for me. I 'm payin' forty a month. Some d

to be here when th' pay is

securely tied to the trousers. They were low enough to have the butts even with the swinging hands, so that no time would have to be wasted in reaching for them; and the sheaths were tied down, so they would not cling to the guns and come up with them on the draw. Bill wore his guns the same way for the

weasel. A cold-blooded, ferocious li'l rat that 'd kill fo

came to his mind. In the first he saw a youth enveloped in swirling clouds of acrid smoke as two Colts flashed and roared with a speed incredible; in the second there was no smoke, only the flashing of hands and the cold glitter of steel, so quick as

avy vegetation and only showed themselves when they straggled down to the river or the creek to drink. A thousand head were supposed to be under his charge, but ten times that number would have been but a little more noticeable. He quickly learned

week; then George returned from his journey and reported favorably. He also, with Longhorn's assistance, had

ned that most of Bill's cows preferred the river to the creek and crossed his section to get there. That few returned was due, perhaps, to their preference for the eastern pasture. In a week the Wease

was riding slowly toward the bunkhouse, buried in thought. When his two men had returned from their scouting trip and reported the best way to drive, his and their work had begun in earne

es and he would be so busy shifting cattle that the rustling would have to ease up. One thing bothered him: Bill Cassidy was getting very suspicious, and he was not altogether satisfied that it was due to rivalry i

the circumstances, grabbed the reins in his left hand and jerked viciously, while his right, a blur of speed, drew and fired the h

these gun-artists are!" he muttered. "Now has he been layin' for big bets, or was he-?" the wor

*

nd. The little man riding the horse smiled as he glanced at his tall companion. "You won't have to hoof it

nd turned the animal loose with a resounding slap. "Huh!" he grunted as it kicked up its heels. "You oughta feel frisky, after loafin' for two week

e mussed bunks and started a fire to get dinner for six. "Mebby they don't ride in at noon," sugge

he saw the smoke pouring out of the chimney, but as he neared the hut he drew s

wung north to the creek and risked its quicksands to ride down its middle. Reaching the river he still kept to the

ed to listen. "Strangers," he muttered. "Glad they got th' fire goin', anyhow.

lo,

cried, lea

t, evading the hand. "I 've been

How 'd i

nny Thompson, my fool

im up down in th' Li'l Wind River country I was a' angel. Looked after him for two weeks down

laimed Buck. "Why, I thought you

a li'l runt of a rustler an' left to die two hundred

got his name butcherin th' law. He could n't make a livin' at it. Then he got chased out of New Mexico for bein' mixed up in a free-love sect, an' pulls for Chicago. He reckoned he own

nt, suspicion raging in his mind. "Why, I he

foreman he'd make, les

" demanded Lanky, w

ewis sent up

e, and Lanky gave a terse descri

'long with Bill an' Red-which way did you come?" he demanded eagerl

is rifle: "I'm goin'

you," rep

ted Lanky, but h

He might ride in. An' you 've go

on the door. But the only man he saw was Red, who

a very pugnacious steer. He scowled as he looked east and shook his head. "Bet they 're crowdin' on th' Weasel's section, too. Reckon I 'll go over and look into it. He 'll be passin' remarks about th' way I ride sign." But he reached the river without being rewarded by the sight of many of the missing cows and he

im cross the river and disappear over the further bank. "Huh!" muttered Skinny, riding forward

ollow. "What th' h-l!" he growled, pushing on. "That's one of 'em trailin'

rounded up by three men, constantly increased the rustlers' herd. To the northwest lay the mesa, where the canyon narrowed to wind its tortuous way through; to the southeast lay the narrow gateway, where the towering, perpendicular cliffs began

as more than his sensitive soul could stand without protest. Bill had disappeared as completely as if he had taken wings and flown aw

"Bet he 'd go right up on his head an' kick," Red chuckled-and it took all his will power to keep from experimenting. Then, suddenly, Skinny disappeared, and Red's fretful nature clawed at his tropical vocabulary with great success. It was only too true-Skinny had become absolutely lost, and the angry Bar-20 puncher crawled furiously this way and that without success, until Skinny gave him a hot clew that stung his face with grit and pebbles. He backed, sneezing, around a rock an

hand to the crimson spot in the center of his face. He did not rub it-he rubbed the air immediately in front of it, and was careful to make no mistake in distance. The second bullet struck a rock just outside the gully an

among the bowlders and thickets, worked swiftly but cautiously up the cliff by taking advantage of the crevices and seams that scored the wall. Climbing like goats, they sli

The Weasel, saving himself from being pinned under his stricken horse, leaped for the shelter of the cover near the foot of the basin's wall. Red was about to fire again when he swayed and slipped down behind a bowlder. The rustler, twenty yards away, began to maneuver for another shot when Skinny's rifle cracked viciously and the cattle thief, staggering to the edge of the cliff, stumbled, fought for his balance, and plunged down into the basin. Hi

unge off the cliff and knew that the game was up. As he leaped from his cover Skinny's head showed over the rim of the cliff and his bullet sang shrilly

pt on for the pass, his eyes riveted malevolently on the youth who

, starting to raise the rifle, a picture o

tensely and robbing his other senses to strengthen si

ace. Perspiration beaded the faces of the watchers on the cliff and they almost stopped breathing. This was worse than they had expected-forty yards would have been close enough to start shooting. "It's a pure case of speed now," whispered Red, suddenly understanding. The promised lesson was due-the lesson the Weasel had promised to give Bill on the draw. Accuracy deliberately was being eliminated by that c

y and laughed senselessl

e shore is; but come on. I do