Square Deal Sanderson

vel of sage and cactus, saw within several hundred yards of him a collection of buildings scattered on a broad plain that e

The buildings, evidently, belonged to the Double A ranc

sufficient natural knowledge of land to enable him to distinguish good land from bad. Besides, near Phoenix he had inspected a gigantic irrigati

could see water tumbling and splashing from one rock ledge to another until it rushed down, forming quite

k made a sort of gorge, which widened as it receded, and Sanderson suspected the presence of an

bottled up!" was Sanderson's menta

upon the buildings and th

ary, but the country was

level toward the south, their pine-clad slopes sweeping sharply upward-a series of gigantic land

tward the butte extended far, receding, irregular, its jagged walls forming a barrier; southwestward stretched the basin,

d over which Sanderson had been riding all morning, though, was not so fertile; it needed the

upon the serious lack of water in the basin

dled right. The Double A has got lots of water. The ot

k, and the big brown horse descended the slope of the hill, struck the

traightened in the saddle, rearranged his neckerchief and brushed some of the dust from his c

and a mighty embarrassment seized him; his face grew crimson beneath the coat o

Streak onward; "I'm comin' here, not knowin' why, but s

ound one of its corners, he was about to ride onward toward the ranchhouse, when out

five horses, saddled and bridled, standing in front of the stable. Sanderson's eyes noted that i

ront of the stable-and two women. But the man upon wh

, and he faced the latter, his chin thrusting, his lips pouting, his eyes gleaming with cold

agnetism that gripped one instantly. It affected Sanderson; the sight

concerning whom the Drifter had spoken; and the glow died out of Sanderson's ey

en; the glances of the two men met, c

gruffly, shortly, cold

y. "You runnin' things

the other, and

man to a halt, "you're the man I'm wantin' to do my gassin' to. If y

other. "Tell me what you're wantin' or

ord, or you wouldn't shoot off your gab that reckless. If you're Bransford, I'm apologizin' to yo

ough, not moving a finger, when he saw a saturnine smile wreathe Sanderson's lips, noted the slight motion with which Sanderson edged Streak around a litt

reathing of the big man indicated his knowledge of the violence that

a tinge of color came into his face. He gr

d particular! I'm runnin' thin

y. He now ignored the big man, and fixed his gaze on o

iscovered they were not women at all, but girls. More, he had discovered that one of them look

re big and fright-laden, and since Sanderson's comings she had been looking at him with an inte

she knew that he had come to the Double A purposely to see her, and that seeing her h

ected of her. She was slightly above medium height, though

d folds-and was brown, and abundant, and it made him gulp in admiration of it; but he could

ary Bransford, ma'

ep toward him, unc

idly, "It can't be

nderson, pushing the girl aside and standin

derson. "Stranger, we ain't got no objections to you doin' all the lookin' you want to do. But keep your trap shut. Now, Miss Bransford," he continued, turning to the girl, "we'll

the girl slowly

a quick, nervous motion. Again her eyes grew wide with fright, and Sanderson saw her looking at the other girl-he

w for the first time he gravely inspe

were set and expressionless. Between them stood a rugged, well-built man of about twenty-two or three. His ha

d was held very erect, and his eyes were ste

oung man. Sanderson saw her turn from Miss Bransford and loo

, troubled, and perplexed eyes. Sanderson saw that his hands were clenched, and tha

ad no part in what was going on; though Sanderson could tell

iss Bransford's manner of answering the big man's question. Her "yes" had been uttered reluctantly. Her te

ting the people of this little drama, but he was enti

ought the supposed culprit to face the owner of the stolen stock; he had c

ose sympathies were with the accused. Miss Bransford would have been quite willing to have this

oman, though obviously she was closely related

big man's, and his lips stiffened. He backed Streak slightly a

st at Miss Bransford, an

e nothin' more to it. Miss Bransford says the cattle is her

ou are a snea

rt pace from the big man. She stood erect, rigid, her hands clenched

mirked

ight for your brother's life, of course. But I represent the law here, an' I've got

ut Ben did not put them there. Shall I tell you who did? It was you! I heard a noise in the corral

corral, for Ben was in the house all the time. He went to bed when I

o Dale, her voice vibrati

And you know why they were put there! You didn't do it because you wanted Ben's land-as I

d me, Ben would have killed you long ago. Oh, I ought to have t

tched the young man writhe futil

d believe it. But the law ain't soft-headed. We found them steers in Ben Nyland's corral-some of them marked with Ben's br

I am willing to believe Peggy Nyland when she says Ben was asleep in the cabin all night-with

ansford. His face reddened ang

ou own the steers is no sign you've got a right to defeat the aims of justice. I'd like mighty well to accommodate you,

and then she had her arms around her brother's nec

Dale's. She walked close to him and said something in a low tone to him, a

, who shifted his feet and looked uncomfortable; then her gaze went to Sanderson who, restin

face. Her eyes were shining with an eloquent yearning that would have caused him to kil

her hands grasping his, holding them ti

a mystery to you, perhaps, but when I spoke to you before I was going to ask

worked his hands free, patted hers reassuri

man had his back turned to Sanderson, and when Sanderson

here,

ing Sanderson's voice and sn

" he d

ebbe I ought to have stuck in my gab before, but I was figurin' that mebbe you wouldn't go to

er at Sanderson. But he had noted the steadi

our orders! An' wh

and he grinned mirthlessly at Dale over the