ds. For the moment the
world had grown smaller, more intimate, as the skies expanded. The dust
from Brower's going did not so much recede as grow littler, more
toy-like. I watched idly his progress.

At a point perhaps a mile this side the Box Springs ranch the road
divides: the right-hand fork leading to the ranch house, the left on up
the valley. After a moment I noticed that the dust was on the left-hand
fork. I swore aloud.

"The damn fool has taken the wrong road!" and then after a moment, with
dismay: "He's headed straight for Hooper's ranch!"

I envisaged the full joy and rapture of this thought for perhaps half a
minute. It sure complicated matters, what with old Hooper gunning on my
trail, and this partner's daughter shut up behind bars. Me, I expected
to last about two days unless I did something mighty sudden. Brower I
expected might last approximately half that time, depending on how soon
Ramon _et al_ got busy. The girl I didn't know anything about, nor did I
want to at that moment. I was plenty worried about my own precious hide
just then. And if you think you are going to get a love story out of
this, I warn you again to quit right now; you are not.

Brower was going to walk into that gray old spider's web like a nice fat
fly. And he was going to land without even the aid and comfort of his
own particular brand of Dutch courage. For safety's sake, and because of
Tiger's playful tendencies when first mounted, we had tied the famous
black bag--which now for convenience contained also the soothing
syrup--behind the cantle of Meigs's old nag. Which said nag I now
possessed together with all appurtenances and attachments thereunto
appertaining I tried to speculate on the reactions of Old Man Hooper,
Ramon, Brower and no dope, but it was too much for me. My head was
getting tired thinking about all these complicated things, anyhow. I was
accustomed to nice, simple jobs with my head, like figuring on the
shrinkage of beef cattle, or the inner running of a two-card draw. All
this annoyed me. I began to get mad. When I got mad enough I cussed and
came to a decision: which was to go after Old Man Hooper and all his
works that very night. Next day wouldn't do; I wanted action right off
quick. Naturally I had no plans, nor even a glimmering of what I was
going to do about it; but you bet you I was going to do something! As
soon as it was dark I was going right on up there. Frontal attack, you
understand. As to de