I Conquered""

ouble

nto the glory of big places, two horses before th

I run horses-th' VB stuff. They call me Jed-or Old VB; mostly Jed now, 'cause th' fellers who used to call me Old VB has got past talkin' so you can he

s though he expected to open a way for the satisfaction of any curiosity. He wanted to forget the past, to leave it entirely behind him; did not want so much as a remn

grimly. "Names don't matter. I don't know how to do a thing except waste

l of silen

slope an' considerable different from this here country. Gettin' to be a

which rose abruptly and in scarred beauty. The way was ever upward, and as they progressed more of the country

self. It was weird to Danny Lenox, unlike anything his traffic-hardened ears

pressions. Here he was, hired out to do he knew not what, starting a journey that would take him a hundred and thirty miles from a place called Colt, in the state of Colorado, through a country

ould have associated with this place-an automobile. He reined his horse out of the path, saw the full-figured driver throw up his arm in

asked, as he again fell

est owner in this part of Colorado-mebby in th' whole st

d through these m

at dog-gone bus right up th' side of that cliff! You'll see fo

ore long-" Might it not form a link between this new and that old-a peculia

e the throb in his throat, that wailing of the creature in him. But when the two rode on at the shambling trot, with the silence and the immense grandeur all about them, the demands of his appetite were made anew, int

hat self he must subdue. He was going away into the waste places, and a sneaking fear of being

ing was cowardice. He had come out here to have freedom, a new beginning, and now he foun

s face, and when he saw anxiety show th

s sure a good boy, bu

ithers so he could not see the

, it is. Anyhow, Charley never had a chance, never a look-in. He

o rise within him, a rage which drove b

before them at their left. Distances took on their purple veils, a canopy of

nch. They're hayin', an' full up. We'll get somethin' to eat, though,

ev

n' to himself. Some fellers out here never seem to see th' point. Funny. I been sleepin' out, off an' on, for l

thing, then, for a man

sure

rying to get aw

while the horses took a d

in him talkin'. Then he wants to get closer'n ever; get down close an' fight again' that s

n, before Danny could form an an

ll ride on an' tur

ode on toward a clump of buildin

o dismounted, Danny stiffly and with necessary deliberation. As they commenced unsaddling, a trio of hatless men, bearing evidences of a strenuous day's labor, came from the doo

came to his ears, speaking to Avery. He noticed that where the little man's greet

unded by inflamed lids, under protruding brows that boasted but little hair, above high, sunburned cheek bones; eyes that reflected

from home,

because in the counter question he could express a little of the quick contempt, the instinctive loathing that sprang up for this man who ne

ool simplicity of his expression carried its wei

d, his mouth twi

ere'd be far from

turned

is it?"

nswered, a swift pleasure

back to his

" he said with the same simplicity, and

ognizes. No angry word was spoken, no hostile movement m

een worsted, he knew. The smiles of those who watched and listened told him

ir saddles under a shed. "His name's Rhues, an' he's a nasty, snaky c

ds. A dozen men sat at one long table

to Danny as was his environment. His initiation back at Colt had not brought him close to such crud

been dabbling in unrealities so long that you've lost sense of t

w joy came to him. He was out among men! Crude, genui

fingers clutched his throat. He dropped his fork, lifted the

pulled him back, and he wres

ed. A desultory conversation waxed to lively banter. A matc

th' makin's

side him, and thrust pouc

lighted from the same match with an interchange of smi

Jed pronounced, blowi

it cost two do

ughed

got a tobacco out here they call Satin. Te

ehow knew that it was given in all kindl

." And then aloud: "We'll stock up with your tobacco. What's liked

ered wit

at word added more stren

e workers straggled off toward the bunk house. Tossing awa

u've got a right t

A light flared in the bunk house, and th

Avery asked, and Da

y. From one to another passed Rhues. In his hand he held a bottle, and to the lips of each man in turn he placed the neck. He fa

drawling, insinuating voice, "but mebby

hand as though to interfere; then dropped it. His jaw settled in grim resolut

g of spirit under the assault of the demon in him were concentrated now. A hot wave swept his body. The fumes set the blood rushing to his eyes,

attle longer? Why d

e in cold denunciation, and the quick passing of that illusion lef

just above a whisper

kly and steppe

laughter of Rhues, and the tone of it, the nasty, jeering note,

the older man's hand fell on the boy's shoulder. His fingers squeezed, and then the palm smote Danny between the shoulder blades, soundly, confi

y felt keenly and with something like pride that it had been worth the candle. He kne

nkets and, with a simple "Go

never snuggled between coarse blankets in the open. But somehow it

his nostrils, trying to blot out the wondering looks on the countenances of those o

or the man for a time distracted his thought from the pleading of his throat, augmented the sing

ondition made went his thinking; forever and forever it must be so-the fighting, fighting

ttle diffusive glows of light that might come from a thousand worlds, clustering together out there in infinite void. Blue stars and white stars, orange stars, and stars that glowed red. Stars that sent beams through incalculable space and st

ering mind had carried him back to the place where light points were arranged by plan. He saw again the electr

ed his throbbing hea

te calmly. "Shall I always come up