so
far among the exacting conditions of Pecos County? The answer was
perhaps, that Sampson had guided him, upheld him, protected him. The
coming of Diane Sampson had been the entering wedge of dissension.

"You're too impatient," concluded Sampson. "You'll ruin any chance of
happiness if you rush Diane. She might be won. If you told her who I am
she'd hate you forever. She might marry you to save me, but she'd hate
you.

"That isn't the way. Wait. Play for time. Be different with her. Cut out
your drinking. She despises that. Let's plan to sell out here, stock,
ranch, property, and leave the country. Then you'd have a show with
her."

"I told you we've got to stick," growled Wright. "The gang won't stand
for our going. It can't be done unless you want to sacrifice
everything."

"You mean double-cross the men? Go without their knowing? Leave them
here to face whatever comes?"

"I mean just that."

"I'm bad enough, but not that bad," returned Sampson. "If I can't get
the gang to let me off I'll stay and face the music. All the same,
Wright, did it ever strike you that most of our deals the last few years
have been yours?"

"Yes. If I hadn't rung them in, there wouldn't have been any. You've had
cold feet, Owens says, especially since this Ranger Steele has been
here."

"Well, call it cold feet if you like. But I call it sense. We reached
our limit long ago. We began by rustling a few cattle at a time when
rustling was laughed at. But as our greed grew so did our boldness. Then
came the gang, the regular trips, and one thing and another till, before
we knew it--before _I_ knew it, we had shady deals, hold-ups, and
murders on our record. Then we had to go on. Too late to turn back!"

"I reckon we've all said that. None of the gang wants to quit. They all
think, and I think, we can't be touched. We may be blamed, but nothing
can be proved. We're too strong."

"There's where you're dead wrong," rejoined Sampson, emphatically. "I
imagined that once, not long ago. I was bull-headed. Who would ever
connect Roger Sampson with a rustler gang? I've changed my mind. I've
begun to think. I've reasoned out things. We're crooked and we can't
last. It's the nature of life, even in wild Pecos, for conditions to
grow better. The wise deal for us would be to divide equally and leave
the country, all of us."

"But you and I have all the stock--all the gain," protested Wright.

"I'll split mine."

"I won't--that settles t