son's
gun that shot Duane. Duane let me off. In fact, Ray, he saved me. I'm
to divide my property--return so far as possible what I've stolen--leave
Texas at once with Duane, under arrest. He says maybe he can get
MacNelly, the ranger captain, to let me go. For your sake!"

She stood there, realizing her deliverance, with the dark and tragic
glory of her eyes passing from her father to Duane.

"You must rise above this," said Duane to her. "I expected this to ruin
you. But your father is alive. He will live it down. I'm sure I can
promise you he'll be free. Perhaps back there in Louisiana the dishonor
will never be known. This country is far from your old home. And even in
San Antonio and Austin a man's evil repute means little. Then the line
between a rustler and a rancher is hard to draw in these wild border
days. Rustling is stealing cattle, and I once heard a well-known rancher
say that all rich cattlemen had done a little stealing Your father
drifted out here, and, like a good many others, he succeeded. It's
perhaps just as well not to split hairs, to judge him by the law and
morality of a civilized country. Some way or other he drifted in with
bad men. Maybe a deal that was honest somehow tied his hands. This
matter of land, water, a few stray head of stock had to be decided out
of court. I'm sure in his case he never realized where he was drifting.
Then one thing led to another, until he was face to face with dealing
that took on crooked form. To protect himself he bound men to him. And
so the gang developed. Many powerful gangs have developed that way
out here. He could not control them. He became involved with them. And
eventually their dealings became deliberately and boldly dishonest. That
meant the inevitable spilling of blood sooner or later, and so he grew
into the leader because he was the strongest. Whatever he is to be
judged for, I think he could have been infinitely worse."

CHAPTER XXIV

On the morning of the twenty-sixth Duane rode into Bradford in time to
catch the early train. His wounds did not seriously incapacitate him.
Longstreth was with him. And Miss Longstreth and Ruth Herbert would not
be left behind. They were all leaving Fairdale for ever. Longstreth had
turned over the whole of his property to Morton, who was to divide it
as he and his comrades believed just. Duane had left Fairdale with his
party by night, passed through Sanderson in the early hours of dawn, and
reached Bradfor