ou'll stand
hitched, I'll draw the spine from your face."

The man cursed him savagely.

"All right," said the Ranger amiably. "If you want 'em as souvenirs,
I'll not object. Suits me if it does you. We'll go now."

He tied to the handcuffs the end of the lariat which was attached to the
saddle. The other end he fastened to the pommel.

"I'll not go a step with you," growled Dinsmore.

"Oh, yes, you'd better step along. I'd hate to have to drag you through
this brush. It's some rough."

The Ranger swung to the saddle. The bronco answered the pressure of the
rider's knee and began to move. The lariat jerked tight. Sullenly
Dinsmore yielded.

But his spirit was unbroken. As he stumbled along in front of the horse,
he filled the night with raucous oaths.

"Take these cuffs off'n me and come down from that horse," he stormed.
"Do that, and I'll beat off yore head."

The man on horseback smiled. "You're the laziest fellow I ever did see,
Dinsmore," he drawled. "The last fellow that licked me pulled me from
the saddle."

"Just let me get a lick at you," pleaded the outlaw. "I'll give you that
bronc you're ridin' if you'll stand up to me man to man."

"Can't do it. I'm here for business an' not for pleasure. Sorry."

"You've got no right to arrest me. What's the charge?"

"I've forgot whether it's brand-burning, highway robbery, murder, or
mayhem--any old crime would fit you."

"You've got no evidence."

"Mebbeso, mebbe not," answered the Ranger lightly. "Cap Ellison said
he'd like to have a squint at you, anyhow, so I said I'd fetch you
along. No trouble a-tall to show goods."

The outlaw bared his tobacco-stained teeth in a sudden fury of rage.
"Some day I'll gun you right for this."

The narrow-loined youth with the well-packed shoulders looked down at
him, and the eyes of the officer were hard and steady as steel.

"Dinsmore," he said, "we're goin' to put you an' yore outfit out o'
business in the Panhandle. Your day is done. You've run on the rope long
enough. I'll live to see you hanged--an' soon."

CHAPTER XX

KIOWAS ON THE WARPATH

Jack Roberts did not leave town inconspicuously with his prisoner in the
middle of the night. He made instead a public exit, for Captain Ellison
wanted to show the Panhandle that the law could reach out and get the
Dinsmores just as it could any other criminals. With his handcuffed
captive on a horse beside him, the Ranger rode down to the post-office
just