ould dawn in favor of peace and security of life and property. Ninde
was resourceful if anything. He would overtake those horses, overpower
the men if necessary, and bring back to his own bailiwick that brand
of horse-stock. At least, that was his plan. Of course Gray might
object, but that would be a secondary matter. Sheriff Ninde would take
time to do this. Having made one mistake, he would make another to
right it.

Gray had a brother living in one of the border towns of Kansas, and
it was thought he would head for this place. Should he take the horses
into the State, all the better, as they could invoke the courts of
another State and get other sheriffs to help.

Sixty years of experience with an uncharitable world had made Gray
distrustful of his fellow man, though he did not wish to be so.
So when he reached his brother in Kansas without molestation, he
exercised caution enough to leave the herd of horses in the territory.
The courts of this neutral strip were Federal, and located at points
in adjoining States, but there was no appeal to them in civil cases.
United States marshals looked after the violators of law against the
government.

Sheriff Ninde sent his deputy to do the Sherlock act for him as soon
as the horses were located. This the deputy had no trouble in doing,
as this sized bunch of horses could not well be hidden, nor was there
any desire on the part of Gray to conceal them.

The horses were kept under herd day and night in a near-by pasture.
Gray usually herded by day, and two young men, one his son, herded
by night. Things went on this way for a month. In the mean time
the deputy had reported to the sheriff, who came on to personally
supervise the undertaking. Gray was on the lookout, and was aware of
the deputy's presence. All he could do was to put an extra man on herd
at night, arm his men well, and await results.

The deputy secretly engaged seven or eight bad men of the long-haired
variety, such as in the early days usually graced the frontier
towns with their presence. This brand of human cattle were not the
disturbing element on the border line of civilization that writers
of that period depicted, nor the authors of the bloodcurdling drama
portrayed. The average busy citizen paid little attention to them,
considering them more ornamental than useful. But this was about the
stripe that was wanted and could be secured for the work in hand. A
good big bluff was considered sufficient for