by Gordon Young and Jack Holt

“ José said to the bartender who shoved his way past the girls.
Every one knew that Charles was unarmed. But though they might wonder, and they did, they could not doubt their eyes: Charles had killed the gunman, and in a square fight, for Doug Walsh was facing him and had both guns out of their holsters. Louise hastily gave the baby to some one else and fell weeping in a mingling of horror and gratification about the neck of her bewildered brother. ”

“ He himself had pulled Charles away from the bar where Thomas, a nester with a homestead about five miles out on the Lone Piñon Road, was foolishly buying drinks from a wad that represented a successful alfalfa crop—incidentally, while Mrs. Thomas sat with the dull patience of a work-worn woman, nursing a few-months-old baby, in a buckboard out in front and waited. José thought it better for Charles to be gambling mildly with him than brewing deviltry with Doug Walsh. ”

“ Once he had bluffed—or thought he had bluffed—José out when the Mexican had him beat in sight.
José had smiled slightly. It had been his deal. The next time that it was his deal Charles got an ace in the hole, and two more aces fell with the third card dealt. José had only a deuce and four in sight.
"I'll let you down easy to coax you along," Charles said, shoving in a small piece of silver. No man would—or at least should—stand for a heavy bet with a pair of aces against him when at most he could have nothing more than a pair of fours with only two cards more to be drawn. ”

“ José had two and a half crosses cut on the handle of his gun. He had cut the half cross one night when Louise had slapped Doug Walsh's face and had then coolly stared down the bad man though both of his guns had leaped from their holsters.
The half of a cross had not been cut, however, until after José had said expectantly to Charles—
"The son of a skunk has insulted your sister."
Charles had concealed his fear and agitation under a pitiable attempt at unconcern.
"Aw, Doug didn't mean nothing. He's a good fellow. Lou is too touchy anyway." ”

“ But for some cause or other he, like the cowboys that flocked around the bar and grumbled about a Mexican treating himself as their equal, hesitated to come to gun-play; although, Heaven knows, there was excuse enough to pick a quarrel since Louise Lawton often turned from one of them to dance with him.
Louise was a queer girl: pretty of course, or there wouldn't have been anything to quarrel over. But she was different from the other girls. Perhaps not prettier, for beauty is a matter of taste ”

“ She knew how to evade unwelcome caresses without giving offense. She knew how to keep men at arm's length even though the very exclusion heightened the desire for contact. As has been said, she understood men.
She detested Doug Walsh and continued to be friendly with José Juarez, though she knew that the Mexican was intensely in love with her and sometimes annoyed her with talk about marriage ”

“ As she came in sight of the grove she saw a fire, a small fire built to light up the "Rustlers' Roost," as the old limb was called where many a horse and maverick-thief had been stretched by the neck, and she could see the black shadows of men moving back and forth. ”

“ The barkeep got somebody to take it away. I've got to stop that baby. Oh Lord, this is awful!"
Again she started, and again he called, fearful of letting her get out of his sight.
"What is it?" she asked impatiently.
"Lou, I've just got to talk—I can't—I can't—" and his voice went into a sob.
"Come on, boy," she said tenderly, putting an arm around him. "I know, you're all knocked out—it's an awful night—and it isn't morning yet." ”

“ Then some one jerked Sheriff Clifford's gun from his holster, and Joe of the Frying-Pan put his own gun squarely into the sheriff's face, saying:
"Now, Sheriff, there ain't no man we-all respect more'n you, but there ain't goin' to be no 'law take its course' in this. We're going to hang this greaser to a sycamore down there'n the grove. Ain't that right, boys?" ”

“ We know you always draw gold from the bank——"
"But let me—" José began again.
"You can't explain nothing," voices, menacing voices, called out.
At the word "bills," Louise reached under her skirts and removed the bulging object just below her garter. A few people crowded around her to see.
"Seňores," José said, though shouts and jeers came at him, "I have not worn the sombrero all evening. You remember—" he addressed Jim of the Frying-Pan outfit—"that I gave it to Charles and——"
Jim was an honest fellow. He believed the greaser was guilty, but he admitted that what he had said was true. ”