James Cody Ferris

“ Rimor’s, with its whiskey, had been too convenient, and riding cattle was dusty work. So he had fallen into the old ways again, after seven years of peacefulness. And what was more natural than that the whiskey should remind him of those other days when money was to be had for the taking!
Mr. Manley’s departure had given him his chance. Like a rattler he had struck and glided away. Now he regretted it. Not remorse—Jules Kolto remorseful? But anger, anger at his own foolishness. The hill he had climbed up from evil had been hard and steep. ”

“ They remembered what Pop Burns had told them—that the caves were practically inaccessible unless attacked from both sides of the canyon at once. Yet this did not deter them. Their hearts high with hope, they felt capable of conquering any stronghold, no matter how well fortified. The girls were there—not half an hour’s ride away! Could they stop now, with success almost in their grasp?
“Either we bring Belle out of here or we stay in ourselves,” Roy whispered, as though to himself. But Teddy heard him, and nodded silently. They would fight—they would die—but they would not be beaten back! ”

“ Teddy shouted something unintelligible, and Roy whipped his head around. Teddy was motioning furiously, and, as Roy followed his brother’s gesture, he saw General and his rider, who were in the rear of the other two rustlers, leap off the trail and through the brush.
“Mark that spot!” Teddy panted. “We turn there!”
Roy sought to fasten his gaze on the place at the side of the path. That bush,—that brown bush—he must keep his eyes on it! If they lost it, Star would be lost too!
It is not easy to rivet one’s attention on a spot on the road while guiding one’s pony up a tortuous mountain trail. ”

“ Belle, Roy, and Teddy Manley rode into the ranch yard of the X Bar X. They had been away for three days, and Teddy looked about him to see if anything had changed—that gesture we all make when coming back to a place we love after being absent for even a short while. It is a gesture not so much of inquiry as of reassurance. ”

“ Now that this cruel misfortune had come to the Manley family, every cowboy on the ranch felt it. Belle was loved and respected by every man on the place. Sing Lung, the cook, not excepted. When word had gone around that Belle had been kidnapped, a hot rage filled the hearts of the inmates of the bunk-house. Belle—little Belle, she of the raven black hair and laughing eyes—taken by rustlers! At first there had been a wild rush for horses and guns were out and ready in a moment. ”

“ Ethel wanted to know.
“Mountain lions,” answered Mr. Manley. “Real mountain lions! We shot their mother, and we figgered we ought to give the youngsters a start in life. So we brought ’em over here.”
“Aren’t they cute?” came from Nell. “When they grow up, maybe you can tame them.”
“And maybe not,” Teddy retorted grimly. “The only tame mountain lion I ever saw was a dead one. When these grow up they go to the circus, hey, Dad?”
“If they live,” answered Mr. Manley.
“Now,” said Roy, as he pushed the cage further out into the sun, “we’ll show you our famous cook, Sing Lung. ”

“ Pop replied shortly. “Anyhow, good luck to you.”
Teddy glanced over at Silent. The puncher was gazing straight ahead, as though he heard nothing of what was going on around him.
“What are you planning to do?” Teddy asked.
“Huh? Who, me?” Silent appeared startled. “Oh, you mean if I find gold?” He thought for a moment. “I tell you, boys,” he said finally. “There’s other things besides money in this here world. An’ there’s other things besides gold in a mining camp.” He touched his gun with his hand, then looked at the mules. ”

“ The shore slid by rapidly, and the water started to boil under the bow of the canoe. Pop, in the stern, wrinkled his face into a grin. Did this youngster think he could turn the boat on him? The old puncher dug his paddle deep into the water, and his shoulders moved rhythmically. Teddy was hard pushed to keep up with the old man, so powerful were the veteran’s strokes, and as the current was swifter here, the boat seemed fairly to skim over the water, heavy as it was.
“All right, men!” Roy called out. “You’re doing fine! We’re creeping up. ”

“ Teddy declared, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. “The best part of it all was to see those two hopping down the mountain like a couple of silly cows—or like rocking horses out on a spree! Man, that was one sweet show! Say, I’ll bet the one who shot himself won’t sleep to-night. Or, if he does, he’ll have bad dreams. Imagine a bear shooting himself! Won’t Pop Burns like to hear about this!”
“Yes, but will he believe it?” Roy asked dubiously. “Pop likes to tell ’em, but when it comes to listening—that’s another thing.” ”

“ Ahead were the rocks, black and forbidding, out of keeping with the placidness of the rest of the scene—a strange contrast to the gentle sloping prairie. At some time in the formation of the earth this portion was fated to retain the characteristics of the early terrain while the surrounding landscape was calmed by some giant hand. Silhouetted bluntly against the sky, the rocks were the bane of cattlemen who had to skirt them in a wide path instead of following the river directly. ”