Edward C. Taylor

“ Hallie Croffut did not address him, but he felt the glance of scorn she gave him, for he winced under it.
"For what am I arrested?" asked Ted coolly.
"You will discover when your trial comes," was the cold reply.
"And why have you dared to detain me?" asked Hallie.
"Your father's orders, Miss Croffut," he said almost inaudibly.
"I believe that you are lying. If you are, Heaven help you, for there is not a decent man in all the army who will not hound you to disgrace. To think that you would countenance this outrage against your colonel's daughter is almost past belief. ”

“ Suddenly Ted gave a short, swift run, leaped in the air, and before Bingo could gather himself for a plunge, Ted was astraddle of the saddle.
Bingo remembered his part then, but he was too late, for simultaneously he felt the sting of the quirt across his shoulder, and the prick of the spur in his flank.
A horse can think of only one thing at a time, while a mule can pay attention to the mule-skinner's lash and think of forty-seven varieties of devilment at the same time. ”

“ Ted held up his hands in a sign of peace also, but said nothing.
"He's a darned old hypocrite," said Ben, in an aside to Ted. "He has murder in those little red eyes of his, if ever a man had."
"I'm on to him," said Ted. "Keep your eyes on that bunch, and give it to them if they start anything treacherous."
"My white brothers come with peace for their red brothers. Join us at the fire. Warm yourselves; eat of our meat."
"We are willing to be brothers," said Ted. "But one brother does not steal the ponies from the corral of the other." ”

“ The girl looked at her and then at Ted with an expression of alarm in her face. They both saw that she feared what was coming.
"What do you want to do, Singing Bird? We must be on the trail again, for we have a long way to go to the big pasture to the north," Stella continued.
"I want to stay with you, sister," said the Indian girl simply. "I will die if you send me away. I will slave for you if you will only let me stay near you. I have no one else on earth. My husband has cast me out; my father will not have me back; the white man does not want the Indian. I am alone in the world. ”

“ For answer, the steer gave an extra flip to its tail, and, without further warning, charged upon Ted with head down and wicked horns gleaming like bayonets. Ted's horse gave a snort of fear, and trembled in every muscle.
Ted at once realized his danger, and wheeled his horse like a bullfighter as Blue Eyes dashed past him, its horn scraping his leg.
"It's fight or run," thought Ted, "with a poor chance to get away from the brute. When they're in that condition they can run like an automobile." ”

“ Ted knew why the man was among the cattle protected from them by his disguise of the cow's hide.
He had been hamstringing them by the wholesale.
In one day the inhuman brute could destroy for range use a whole herd.
In the meantime, the cattle were growing wilder and wilder from the pain caused by the hamstringer's knife, the wild career of the unmounted man among them, and Ted and Stella pressing through them from the rear with shouts and cracking quirts.
"Great Scott! They'll get him!" shouted Ted, reining in his pony. ”

“ Stella went to bed after she had peeped into the tent occupied by Singing Bird, and satisfied herself that she was sleeping quietly and safely.
One by one the boys rolled themselves in their blankets beside the fire, and dropped into deep slumber.
Woofer had said good night among the first, saying that he was very tired, and would "crawl into the wool," as he expressed it.
Only the night guard was awake, as they rode around and around the sleeping herd, their voices breaking out softly into song as a restless steer arose and sniffed the air and began to walk around. ”

“ Near the cabin stood the soldiers, watching the play with interest. Stella and Hallie were at one side, their eyes fastened on the scene with a sort of fascinated horror. Stella knew well the danger of the bout. In the doorway of the cabin Lieutenant Barrows leaned indifferently, smoking a cigarette, and watching the uneven contest with slight interest in its outcome, and with no regard whatever for the thing which all gentlemen hold sacred, that is, fair play.
Around and around rode Woofer, waiting for a good chance for a cast, but always finding Ted alert. ”

“ Crazy Cow's face at once assumed a look of sadness.
"I have not come for war," said Ted gravely, "but I want to warn you and your tribe that I will not stand for any raids on our ranch. You will find that we are good fighters, and that we can kill just as well as the soldiers. The ranch is ours, and the cattle and horses are ours, and do not belong to the young men of your tribe. They must leave us alone, or we will be compelled to deal out justice to them in our own way, which is a hard one." ”

“ Ted just laughed, and Burk turned upon him with a scowl.
At that moment there was a cheer from the direction of the house; then a few scattering shots from the men in the shrubbery.
Ted heard the doors of the house open, and the swift patter of running feet. The old Moon Valley yell was in his ears. All the men in the shrubbery had sprung to their feet, and were running wildly about. A man crawled through the bushes—the man with the face he had seen at the window. ”

“ Stella took down the glass for a moment and looked at Kit severely.
"All right, fire away, but tell me what's going on, for Heaven's sake. Don't break off in the middle that way."
"It's an awful big wolf, and its hide don't fit it. Its legs stick out of the skin, and I can see one of its feet. Gracious, it has a queer sort of a boot on it, and this wolf has human hands."
"Stella, quit your fooling. What is going on out there? This is serious. It's no time for nonsense."
"I'm not fooling. I'm quite in earnest. Now Ted's lifting the queer thing onto the saddle, and holding it there." ”

“ As a frightened cow or angry steer was loosed from the corral it was met with shouts, wild and blood-curdling, from all the Indians, and its owner sprang upon his pony and took after the poor beast, driving it into the open beyond, and away from the house and corral.
"Now begins the chase," said Ted. "We'll get out here where we will have a good view, but I don't think you will care to see much of it. It gets to be pretty—well, pretty raw after a while."
"Why don't they kill their beef in a slaughterhouse and give them the meat, instead of turning the animals over to them alive?" asked Stella. ”

“ Ted thought it strange that the wolf king was not doing as the others did; that is, running up behind their victim and making a slash at his legs with their razorlike fangs, then retreating with a whining howl when they felt the heels of the poor brute they were tormenting. ”

“ Kit swung the gate open, and Stella dashed into the corral.
The ponies were running around the corral, following the line of the fence, and in the center of the bunch was the little bay pony with the inert, and probably dead, body of a man hanging head downward on the pony's flank, rolling horribly, and in constant danger of being hit by the flying heels of the other ponies, who were frantic at the smell of blood. ”

“ Why is he not here to take care of his wife?"
"He shot her and left her here to die, because he was tired of her, and, she says, because she would not reveal to him a secret."
"He certainly is a precious scoundrel, and deserves worse than I gave him, and if I ever meet him again I won't do a thing to him."
"But we must get this girl to a camp where she can be cared for, Ted. It is cruel to leave her here on the cold ground when she can have a cot and plenty of blankets." ”

“ No one but an Indian or a trained scout would build so small a fire. A tenderfoot would have made one that roared and sent a vast cloud of smoke toward the sky to attract any enemy that might be in the vicinity.
But an Indian builds his fire in a space not much larger than the hollow of his two hands, and manages to send up smoke that only a trained eye could detect, and at the same time have heat enough with which to warm himself and cook his food, with as little fuel as possible.
As he went forward, Ted was surprised that he came upon no sign of a camp guard. ”

“ I will thrash you with my quirt until you cry out with pain. You may keep your gun. I am not afraid of it."
"Now you begin to talk a little like a man. But you won't fight. Little pony, you are ridden by a squaw. Why don't you throw him off and come to me, who is a fighter?"
"Fellows, stand fast," said Ted to the boys. "I'm going to give that young buck such a licking as he never thought possible. If they don't play fair, shoot."
Ted threw his rifle to Ben, so that he would not be burdened by it, and rode toward the Indian, who also threw his weapon to one of his followers. ”

“ This convinced Stella that the man with the silver mask was unable to talk.
"I don't see how we are going to get at those fellows," said Ted.
"They do seem to be pretty well fixed to defend themselves," said Ben, who was lying flat on the rocky edge of the cañon wall, looking into the scene below.
"Oh, Ted," cried Stella, grasping the arm of the leader of the broncho boys. "Look there. It is Magpie, my pony. There isn't another like him in the world. We must get him back, Ted. Think of letting a dirty Indian outlaw ride and abuse the splendid fellow." ”

“ When Carl was through with his story, Ted looked for a long time into the fire without saying anything.
"Well, what do you think?" asked Stella, at last.
"I think it is the work of the Whipple gang," answered Ted.
"But why should they shoot Follansbee?"
"It is a piece of intimidation. Of course, they do not know us. Under ordinary circumstances an apparition like that, followed by the shooting of a man, would cause a panic among ignorant men on a ranch. It is a cinch that the Whipple gang has got it in for us, and this is just the beginning of it. ”

“ Ben was forever coming to the rescue of maidens in distress, especially if they were more than merely pretty.
"We've all got to do our share at cheering the poor girl up," said Kit, with a sly glance at Ted, who grinned.
"Oh, I guess I'm large and strong enough to carry my own burdens," said Ben. "I've managed to pack a good many of them' so far without getting round-shouldered."
"Yes, and without losing your appetite."
"Hush, boys," cautioned Ted. "Here come the girls."
Stella came out of the house, bearing in her arms a lot of shawls and bundles, followed by Mrs. Graham and Hallie Croffut. ”

“ It was a pretty tight situation, and the boys were really alarmed for Ted's safety, when out of the woods ran an apparition—a woman so covered with blood as to be unrecognizable. But Stella uttered a scream. She had seen that it was Singing Bird, who had been terribly injured by her brute of a husband, who had evidently tortured her to get from her the information she possessed about the mother lode.
Before any one could divine what she was about to do, the Indian girl had sprung toward Running Bear and plunged a long, keen knife into his back to the hilt. ”

“ You see, I knew that the pony would go home when he found himself free.
"I was no sooner well tied to the pony's back when I heard the howl of the wolves, and recognized the voice of White Fang."
"White Fang?"
"Yes, the master of the pack. Have you not heard of him. He is well known in this part of the country—a wolf with almost human intelligence, fierce, a perfect devil of an animal, to whose pack every ranch in this country has paid heavy tribute. You will know more about him if you stay here. He is the devil in the hide of an animal. ”

“ Don't you think that is White Fang?"
"It shore is, er his twin brother," said Bud, to which Stella nodded acquiescence.
"Take it easy," said Ted. "We'll ride toward him, and when we get as close as we can without his bolting, put your spurs to it and chase him for all you're worth. He can run like a scared rabbit."
They rode easily toward the wolf, who looked up at them with a wise, sidewise twist of his hoary old head, but did not increase his speed any.
"He's tolling us into the hills where he can easily get lost," said Ted. "Don't let him do it! Head him off! Turn him back to the prairie." ”

“ I have said enough."
"Ted Strong talks big and much, but does nothing. He is a coward who is afraid of the Indian."
"I am not afraid of you. I think I have shown it."
"Yes, but you ran when I surprised you by the stream."
"My pony ran, and to keep from losing him I clung to him."
"It was a good thing for you that he did run. If he hadn't, you would never have gone home again, and the buzzards and vultures, assisted by the prairie wolves, would have you by now."
"Big talk means nothing. You are not a fighter, you are a squaw. You are a fool and a boaster." ”

“ On the summit stood Bud Morgan, his long, fair hair floating in the breeze, and on either side of him ten cow-punchers with their Winchesters trained upon the unarmed soldiers, whose carbines were stacked in the house.
"Three cheers for the broncho boys!" yelled Stella shrilly. "You can't beat 'em anyway you try." ”

“ Singing Bird took a seat upon a fallen tree, and Stella sat down beside her.
"Proceed," said Stella, "and leave nothing out."
"When he first came to the camp, I wished he would not stay," began Singing Bird, "but every one seemed to think he was the good man, and who am I to say anything against the wishes of my friends who saved my life and made me a home?"
"Did you know him then?"
"Yes. I have seen him at the white soldiers' fort. He is the friend of Running Bear. He is a bad man, who steals other men's cattle." ”

“ Major Caruthers now stepped in front of them, his face red with anger.
"What do you mean by intruding on me like this?" he thundered.
For answer, one of the men threw back his coat and displayed the star of a deputy United States marshal.
"We're officers," he said gruffly, "an' we want Fancy Farnsworth."
"You've come to the wrong place," said the major.
"Oh, no, we haven't. We traced him right here, an' he's in this house."
"What crime has he committed?"
"He killed a woman over at Rodeo last night."
An exclamation of horror arose from all parts of the room.
"There he is! Get him!" ”

“ Looking closely through the smoke, Ted saw the "wolf" straighten up to the full stature of a man, then fall to the ground, over which it went writhing and tossing, while at the same time the most human of yells expressing agony came from it.
This was the signal for the other "wolves" to howl, and the most unearthly noise come from all sides of the house.
These were followed by a perfect fusillade of rifle and revolver shots from everywhere, most of them aimed at the cupola. ”

“ The wolf had not stirred except that his nose was constantly working as he sniffed the air for Ted.
Ted knew that a wolf that will stand and fight a man by himself is possessed of more than ordinary courage and brains, and, therefore, he was on the lookout for the tricks of the fight. ”

“ The Indian girl flushed. "You know, sister, that it is a great thing for an Indian girl to marry a white man."
"But you are already the wife of Running Bear," said Stella, who was puzzled.
"That is the Indian marriage, and soon broken. But when I told him I didn't want to marry him, he got very angry. I told him I was going to stay with you, and he said that if I did I would be killed with all the rest of you; that it was coming, and that Mr. Strong had many enemies who were stronger than all of you." ”

“ Stella and the other members of the Moon Valley outfit were resting against the time when they would be called to duty, and only Kit was there to see Ted catch Sultan out of the corral, saddle him, and ride away.
Ted rode slowly across the prairie to where he had seen the wolf.
But the wolf had disappeared from view just as Ted started from the corral, and Kit could see it no more. He took this for a bad omen. Evidently, the wolf had seen that he had lured a rider from the ranch house, and, having accomplished its purpose, it was no longer necessary to expose itself to attack. ”

“ Barrows stepped back into the cabin, and Ted walked to where he could keep his eye on the soldier.
Suddenly he jumped into the cabin and wrenched a pistol out of Barrows' hand.
"No, you don't," he cried angrily. "You can't pay for this by self-murder. You've got to live to pay for your meanness."
Barrows submitted to be disarmed by Ted. He stood looking for a moment at Hallie, and for a moment it seemed as if he would speak to her. Then, with a cry of agony, he rushed across the open, leaped upon his horse, and, plunging into the grove, was lost to sight. ”

“ As the boys swarmed down the hill to where Ted and the girls were standing apart from the soldiers, who stood staring at them in amazement, they let out the Moon Valley yell, and acted as though they were a victorious army taking possession of a conquered city. ”

“ Ted was the last to press forward and with all sincerity wished him happiness, and, as he did so, he noticed that the young fellow was very pale, and that his eyes were filled with unshed tears as he looked from Ted to the major, who was fairly beaming with happiness and joy at the great success of his Christmas Eve party, which, he said, was the finest ever held in Arizona. ”