ce
and my stealthy efforts had not been rewarded by anything calculated to
strengthen our suspicions of Sampson. But then he had been absent from
the home very often, and was difficult to watch when he was there.

George Wright came and went, too, presumably upon stock business. I
could not yet see that he was anything but an honest rancher, deeply
involved with Sampson and other men in stock deals; nevertheless, as a
man he had earned my contempt.

He was a hard drinker, cruel to horses, a gambler not above stacking the
cards, a quick-tempered, passionate Southerner.

He had fallen in love with Diane Sampson, was like her shadow when at
home. He hated me; he treated me as if I were the scum of the earth; if
he had to address me for something, which was seldom, he did it harshly,
like ordering a dog. Whenever I saw his sinister, handsome face, with
its dark eyes always half shut, my hand itched for my gun, and I would
go my way with something thick and hot inside my breast.

In my talks with Steele we spent time studying George Wright's character
and actions. He was Sampson's partner, and at the head of a small group
of Linrock ranchers who were rich in cattle and property, if not in
money.

Steele and I had seen fit to wait before we made any thorough
investigation into their business methods. Ours was a waiting game,
anyway.

Right at the start Linrock had apparently arisen in resentment at the
presence of Vaughn Steele. But it was my opinion that there were men in
Linrock secretly glad of the Ranger's presence.

What he intended to do was food for great speculation. His fame, of
course, had preceded him. A company of militia could not have had the
effect upon the wild element of Linrock that Steele's presence had.

A thousand stories went from lip to lip, most of which were false. He
was lightning swift on the draw. It was death to face him. He had killed
thirty men--wildest rumor of all.

He had the gun skill of Buck Duane, the craft of Cheseldine, the
deviltry of King Fisher, the most notorious of Texas desperadoes. His
nerve, his lack of fear--those made him stand out alone even among a
horde of bold men.

At first there had not only been great conjecture among the vicious
element, with which I had begun to affiliate myself, but also a very
decided checking of all kinds of action calculated to be conspicuous to
a keen eyed Ranger.

Steele did not hide, but during these opening days of his stay in
Li