halted out on the ridge and dismounted for the usual little rest.
Mine I took in the shade of a scrubby mesquite. The girls strolled away
out of sight. It was a drowsy day, and I nearly fell asleep.

Something aroused me--a patter of footsteps or a rustle of skirts. Then
a soft thud behind me gave me at once a start and a thrill. First I saw
Sally's little brown hands on my shoulders. Then her head, with hair all
shiny and flying and fragrant, came round over my shoulder, softly
smoothing my cheek, until her sweet, saucy, heated face was right under
my eyes.

"Russ, don't you love me any more?" she whispered.

Chapter 4

STEELE BREAKS UP THE PARTY

That night, I saw Steele at our meeting place, and we compared notes and
pondered details of our problem.

Steele had rented the stone house to be used as a jail. While the
blacksmith was putting up a door and window calculated to withstand many
onslaughts, all the idlers and strangers in town went to see the sight.
Manifestly it was an occasion for Linrock. When Steele let it be known
that he wanted to hire a jailer and a guard this caustically humorous
element offered itself _en masse_. The men made a joke out of it.

When Steele and I were about to separate I remembered a party that was
to be given by Miss Sampson, and I told him about it. He shook his head
sadly, almost doubtfully.

Was it possible that Sampson could be a deep eyed, cunning scoundrel,
the true leader of the cattle rustlers, yet keep that beautiful and
innocent girl out on the frontier and let her give parties to sons and
daughters of a community he had robbed? To any but remorseless Rangers
the idea was incredible.

Thursday evening came in spite of what the girls must have regarded as
an interminably dragging day.

It was easy to differentiate their attitudes toward this party. Sally
wanted to look beautiful, to excell all the young ladies who were to
attend, to attach to her train all the young men, and have them fighting
to dance with her. Miss Sampson had an earnest desire to open her
father's house to the people of Linrock, to show that a daughter had
come into his long cheerless home, to make the evening one of pleasure
and entertainment.

I happened to be present in the parlor, was carrying in some flowers for
final decoration, when Miss Sampson learned that her father had just
ridden off with three horsemen whom Dick, who brought the news, had not
recognized.

In her keen d