Square Deal Sanderson

t in the desert. Sanderson could see them, though the distance was considerable, riding the crest of a ridge, directly

himself as he rode; "an'

ider faintly outlined against the sky. Sanderson would note the figure of the first rider, then watch the point at which the first rider a

r he saw the first rider appear for a moment on the sky line, vanish, reappear for

t medium he knew they were not traveling rapidly, for the brown horse was loping s

rs was borne the faint, muffled repor

. In half an hour he heard half a dozen rifle reports in quick succession, H

n country featured by small, rock-strewn hills. By watching the smok

n endeavor to render hazardous any concealment the other might find. It was the old game of getting a

mers,"

e country was cursed with too many men of the type the two appeared to be; and as he had no doubt that the ot

at emotion which impelled him to keep going cautiously forward when, by all the rules of life in t

e and that of Streak, he dismounted at the bottom of a small hill, trailed the reins over Streak's head and, carrying his rifle, ma

bout a cluster of rocks on a hill not more than a hundred yards distant. Two of the men were bending over the third, who was stretched out on his back, motionless. It appeared

y to investigate; the ethics of life in the country did not forb

hin full view of the tw

in' you guy

answer came in the shape of a rifle bullet, the we

d begun, and he threw himself head-long behind the shelter

n dispelled by the action of the men in shooting at him. He was now certain the men were what he had taken them to be, and he grinned felin

some of the rocks in the vicinity, no doubt to wait a reasonable time before

Their horses, he had observed before calling to them, were in a l

een the spot where the horses were concealed and the hill on which they wer

aid for an hour, flat on his stomach behind the rock, his rifle muzzle projecting between two medium-sized stones near th

Sanderson could see him,

of an hour their curiosity must have conquered them, for Sanderson, still alert

ertain after a few seconds of intent scrutiny; and that it was a hat without any head in it he was also convinced, for

on they think I'm a yearli

the two men arguing the question that must deeply con

hey're drawin' straw

y coming into view around a side of the rock, and he was positive that this time there was a head in

pe in Sanderson's eyes, until, with a cold grin, he noted

n came a man's shoulders. Nothing happened. The man stepped from

an gr

got him; he tumbled sorta offish-like it had got him in the guts. That's what

n appeared. He, t

you said you got him, I reckon he done a lo

lking. Evidently, Sanderson's silence had comp

e rock near Sanderson as he walked, saw the muzzle of

on on the scene the man discharged his rifle from t

sound. The other, paralyzed from the shock, stood for an instant, irresolute, the

econd man shuddered, spun violently aro

knew where his bullets had gone, and he took no precautions

for you, I re

er the other man. A bullet fairly in the center of the m

the others. There were marks of a past refinemen

anderson; "but from the looks of him he was tryin' to live it down. N

w a letter-faded and soiled, as though it had been read much. There was another

selected the most soiled one. He hesitated an

LIAM BR

n, Ar

en years ago, and it seems an awful long time. I suppose it is too much to hope t

d for you. Do you know what that means? It means he wanted you to come b

hat you will ever read it. But if you do read i

oving

BRANS

uble A

unty, Ne

oved it back into the envelope and gravely drew out the other

LIAM BR

n, Ar

eager to see you. It has been such a long, long time, hasn't it? Fif

en you left home. And I suppose you have grown big and strong, and have a deep, booming v

d dollars, for from the tone of your letter it seems thi

h l

sis

A

y, turning it over and over in his hands. The last letter w

f further interest. Then he stood for a long time, looking down at

get to the Double A," he thought, noting

thing the real guy don't come along to disabuse the

a gully, then he ret

ade a bulky package, and Sanderson stored it in his slicker. Then he mounted Streak, turned