hushed　silence。
  〃Pride；〃　replied　the　stranger　solemnly。　〃Haughtiness　of　spirit。〃
  〃How　so？〃　urged　Charley；　after　a　pause。
  〃Them　chickens；〃　continued　the　stranger；　after　a　moment；　〃stood
  around　listenin'　to　me　a…braggin'　of　what　superior　fowls　they　was
  until　they　got　all　puffed　up。　　They　wouldn't　have　nothin'
  whatever　to　do　with　the　ordinary　chickens　we　brought　in　for
  eatin'　purposes；　but　stood　around　lookin'　bored　when　there　wasn't
  no　sport　doin'。　　They　got　to　be　just　like　that　Four　Hundred　you
  read　about　in　the　papers。　　It　was　one　continual　round　of
  grasshopper　balls；　race　meets；　and　afternoon　hen…parties。　　They
  got　idle　and　haughty；　just　like　folks。　　Then　come　race　suicide。
  They　got　to　feelin'　so　aristocratic　the　hens　wouldn't　have　no
  eggs。〃
  Nobody　dared　say　a　word。
  〃Windy　Bill's　snake〃　began　the　narrator　genially。
  〃Stranger；〃　broke　in　Windy　Bill；　with　great　emphasis；　〃as　to
  that　snake；　I　want　you　to　understand　this：　　yereafter　in　my
  estimation　that　snake　is　nothin'　but　an　ornery　angleworm！〃
  PART　II
  THE　TWO　GUN　MAN
  CHAPTER　ONE
  THE　CATTLE　RUSTLERS
  Buck　Johnson　was　American　born；　but　with　a　black　beard　and　a
  dignity　of　manner　that　had　earned　him　the　title　of　Senor。　　He　had
  drifted　into　southeastern　Arizona　in　the　days　of　Cochise　and
  Victorio　and　Geronimo。　　He　had　persisted；　and　so　in　time　had　come
  to　control　the　waterand　hence　the　grazingof　nearly　all　the
  Soda　Springs　Valley。　　His　troubles　were　many；　and　his
  difficulties　great。　　There　were　the　ordinary　problems　of　lean　and
  dry　years。　　There　were　also　the　extraordinary　problems　of
  devastating　Apaches；　rivals　for　early　and　ill…defined　range
  rightsand　cattle　rustlers。
  Senor　Buck　Johnson　was　a　man　of　capacity；　courage；　directness　of
  method；　and　perseverance。　　Especially　the　latter。　　Therefore　he
  had　survived　to　see　the　Apaches　subdued；　the　range　rights
  adjusted；　his　cattle　increased　to　thousands；　grazing　the　area　of
  a　principality。　　Now；　all　the　energy　and　fire　of　his
  frontiersman's　nature　he　had　turned　to　wiping　out　the　third
  uncertainty　of　an　uncertain　business。　　He　found　it　a　task　of　some
  magnitude。
  For　Senor　Buck　Johnson　lived　just　north　of　that　terra　incognita
  filled　with　the　mystery　of　a　double　chance　of　death　from　man　or
  the　flaming　desert　known　as　the　Mexican　border。　　There；　by
  natural　gravitation；　gathered　all　the　desperate　characters　of
  three　States　and　two　republics。　　He　who　rode　into　it　took　good
  care　that　no　one　should　ride　behind　him；　lived　warily；　slept
  light；　and　breathed　deep　when　once　he　had　again　sighted　the
  familiar　peaks　of　Cochise's　Stronghold。　　No　one　professed
  knowledge　of　those　who　dwelt　therein。　　They　moved；　mysterious　as
  the　desert　illusions　that　compassed　them　about。　　As　you　rode；　the
  ranges　of　mountains　visibly　changed　form；　the　monstrous；　snaky；
  sea…like　growths　of　the　cactus　clutched　at　your　stirrup；　mock
  lakes　sparkled　and　dissolved　in　the　middle　distance；　the　sun　beat
  hot　and　merciless；　the　powdered　dry　alkali　beat　hotly　and
  mercilessly　backand　strange；　grim　men；　swarthy；　bearded；
  heavily　armed；　with　red…rimmed　unshifting　eyes；　rode　silently　out
  of　the　mists　of　illusion　to　look　on　you　steadily；　and　then　to
  ride　silently　back　into　the　desert　haze。　　They　might　be　only　the
  herders　of　the　gaunt　cattle；　or　again　they　might　belong　to　the
  Lost　Legion　that　peopled　the　country。　　All　you　could　know　was
  that　of　the　men　who　entered　in；　but　few　returned。
  Directly　north　of　this　unknown　land　you　encountered　parallel
  fences　running　across　the　country。　　They　enclosed　nothing；　but
  offered　a　check　to　the　cattle　drifting　toward　the　clutch　of　the
  renegades；　and　an　obstacle　to　swift；　dashing　forays。
  Of　cattle…rustling　there　are　various　forms。　　The　boldest　consists
  quite　simply　of　running　off　a　bunch　of　stock；　hustling　it　over
  the　Mexican　line；　and　there　selling　it　to　some　of　the　big　Sonora
  ranch　owners。　　Generally　this　sort　means　war。　　Also　are　there
  subtler　means；　grading　in　skill　from　the　re…branding　through　a
  wet　blanket；　through　the　crafty　refashioning　of　a　brand　to　the
  various　methods　of　separating　the　cow　from　her　unbranded　calf。
  In　the　course　of　his　task　Senor　Buck　Johnson　would　have　to　do
  with　them　all；　but　at　present　he　existed　in　a　state　of　warfare；
  fighting　an　enemy　who　stole　as　the　Indians　used　to　steal。
  Already　be　had　fought　two　pitched　battles　and　had　won　them　both。
  His　cattle　increased；　and　he　became　rich。　　Nevertheless　he　knew
  that　constantly　his　resources　were　being　drained。　　Time　and　again
  he　and　his　new　Texas　foreman；　Jed　Parker；　had　followed　the　trail
  of　a　stampeded　bunch　of　twenty　or　thirty；　followed　them　on　down
  through　the　Soda　Springs　Valley　to　the　cut　drift　fences；　there　to
  abandon　them。　　For；　as　yet；　an　armed　force　would　be　needed　to
  penetrate　the　borderland。　　Once　he　and　his　men　bad　experienced
  the　glory　of　a　night　pursuit。　　Then；　at　the　drift　fences；　he　had
  fought　one　of　his　battles。　　But　it　was　impossible　adequately　to
  patrol　all　parts　of　a　range　bigger　than　some　Eastern　States。
  Buck　Johnson　did　his　best；　but　it　was　like　stepping　with　sand　the
  innumerable　little　leaks　of　a　dam。　　Did　his　riders　watch　toward
  the　Chiricahuas；　then　a　score　of　beef　steers　disappeared　from
  Grant's　Pass　forty　miles　away。　　Pursuit　here　meant　leaving　cattle
  unguarded　there。　　It　was　useless；　and　the　Senor　soon　perceived
  that　sooner　or　later　he　must　strike　in　offence。
  For　this　purpose　he　began　slowly　to　strengthen　the　forces　of　his
  riders。　　Men　were　coming　in　from　Texas。　　They　were　good　men；
  addicted　to　the　grass…rope；　the　double　cinch；　and　the　ox…bow
  stirrup。　　Senor　Johnson　wanted　men　who　could　shoot；　and　he　got
  them。
  〃Jed；〃　said　Senor　Johnson　to　his　foreman；　〃the　next　son　of　a　gun
  that　rustles　any　of　our　cows　is　sure　loading　himself　full　of
  trouble。　　We'll　hit　his　trail　and　will　stay　with　it；　and　we'll
  reach　his　cattle…rustling　conscience　with　a　rope。〃
  So　it　came　about　that　a　little　army　crossed　the　drift　fences　and
  entered　the　border　country。　　Two　days　later　it　came　out；　and
  mighty　pleased　to　be　able　to　do　so。　　The　rope　had　not　been　used。
  The　reason　for　the　defeat　was　quite　simple。　　The　thief　had　run
  his　cattle　through　the　lava　beds　where　the　trail　at　once　became
  difficult　to　follow。　　This　delayed　the　pursuing　party；　they　ran
  out　of　water；　and；　as　there　was　among　them　not　one　man　well
  enough　acquainted　with　the　country　to　know　where　to　find　more；
  they　had　to　return。
  〃No　use；　Buck；〃　said　Jed。　　〃We'd　any　of　us　come　in　on　a　gun　play；
  but　we　can't　buck　the　desert。　　We'll　have　to　get　someone　who
  knows　the　country。〃
  〃That's　all　rightbut　where？〃　queried　Johnson。
  〃There's　Pereza；〃　suggested　Parker。　〃It's　the　only　town　down
  near　that　country。〃
  〃Might　get　someone　there；〃　agreed　the　Senor。
  Next　day　he　rode　away　in　search　of　a　guide。　　The　third　evening　he
  was　back　again；　much　discouraged。
  〃The　country's　no　good；〃　he　explained。　〃The　regular　inhabitants
  're　a　set　of　Mexican　bums　and　old　soaks。　　The　cowmen's　all　from
  north　and　don't　know　nothing　more　than　we　do。　　I　found　lots　who
  claimed　to　know　that　country；　but　when　I　told　'em　what　I　wanted
  they　shied　like　a　colt。　　I　couldn't　hire'em；　for　no　money；　to　go
  down　in　that　country。　　They　ain't　got　the　nerve。　　I　took　two　days
  to　her；　too；　and　rode　out　to　a　ranch　where　they　said　a　man　lived
  who　knew　all　about　it　down　there。　　Nary　riffle。　　Man　looked　all
  right；　but　his　tail　went　down　like　the　rest　when　I　told　him　what
  we　wanted。　　Seemed　plumb　scairt　to　death。　　Says　he　lives　too
  close　to　the　gang。　　Says　they'd　wipe　him　out　sure　if　he　done　it。
  Seemed　　plumb　SCAIRT。〃　　Buck　Johnson　grinned。　〃I　told　him　so　and
  he　got　hosstyle　right　off。　　Didn't　seem　no　ways　scairt　of　me。　　I
  don't　know　what's　the　matter　with　that　outfit　down　there。
  They're　plumb　terrorised。〃
  That　night　a　bunch　of　steers　was　stolen　from　the　very　corrals　of
  the　home　ranch。　　The　home　ranch　was　far　north；　near　Fort　Sherman
  itself；　and　so　had　always　been　considered　immune　from　attack。
  Consequently　these　steers　were　very　fine　ones。
  For　the　first　time　Buck　Johnson　lost　his　head　and　his　dignity。
  He　ordered　the　horses。
  〃I'm　going　to　follow　that　　　into　Sonora；〃　he　shouted　to　Jed
  Parker。　　〃This　thing's　got　to　stop！〃
  〃You　can't　make　her；　Buck；〃　objected　the　foreman。　〃You'll　get
  held　up　by　the　desert；　and；　if　that　don't　finish　you；　they'll
  tangle　you　up　in　all　those　little　mountains　down　there；　and
  ambush　you；　and　massacre　you。　　You　know　it　damn　well。〃
  〃I　don't　give　a　〃　exploded　Senor　Johnson；　〃if　they　do。　No　man
  can　slap　my　face　and　not　get　a　run　for　it。〃
  Jed　Parker　communed　with　himself。
  〃Senor；〃　said　he；　at　last；〃it's　no　good；　you　can't　do　it。　　You
  got　to　have　a　guide。　　You　wait　three　days　and　I'll　get　you　one。〃
  〃You　can't　do　it；〃　insisted　the　Senor。