phantasmagoria。　　At　evening　the　desert　stars　shone　steady　and
  unwinking；　like　the　flames　of　candles。　　By　moonrise　they　came　to
  the　home　ranch。
  The　buildings　and　corrals　lay　dark　and　silent　against　the
  moonlight　that　made　of　the　plain　a　sea　of　mist。　　The　two　men
  unsaddled　their　horses　and　turned　them　loose　in　the　wire…fenced
  〃pasture；〃　the　necessary　noises　of　their　movements　sounding
  sharp　and　clear　against　the　velvet　hush　of　the　night。　　After　a
  moment　they　walked　stiffly　past　the　sheds　and　cook　shanty；　past
  the　men's　bunk　houses；　and　the　tall　windmill　silhouetted　against
  the　sky；　to　the　main　building　of　the　home　ranch　under　its　great
  cottonwoods。　　There　a　light　still　burned；　for　this　was　the　third
  day；　and　Buck　Johnson　awaited　his　foreman。
  Jed　Parker　pushed　in　without　ceremony。
  〃Here's　your　man；　Buck；〃　said　he。
  The　stranger　had　stepped　inside　and　carefully　closed　the　door
  behind　him。　　The　lamplight　threw　into　relief　the　bold；　free　lines
  of　his　face；　the　details　of　his　costume　powdered　thick　with
  alkali；　the　shiny　butts　of　the　two　guns　in　their　open　holsters
  tied　at　the　bottom。　　Equally　it　defined　the　resolute　countenance
  of　Buck　Johnson　turned　up　in　inquiry。　　The　two　men　examined　each
  otherand　liked　each　other　at　once。
  〃How　are　you；〃　greeted　the　cattleman。
  〃Good…evening；〃　responded　the　stranger。
  〃Sit　down；〃invited　Buck　Johnson。
  The　stranger　perched　gingerly　on　the　edge　of　a　chair；　with　an
  appearance　less　of　embarrassment　than　of　habitual　alertness。
  〃You'll　take　the　job？〃　inquired　the　Senor。
  〃I　haven't　heard　what　it　is；〃　replied　the　stranger。
  〃Parker　here？〃
  〃Said　you'd　explain。〃
  〃Very　well；〃　said　Buck　Johnson。　　He　paused　a　moment；　collecting
  his　thoughts。　〃There's　too　much　cattle…rustling　here。　　I'm　going
  to　stop　it。　　I've　got　good　men　here　ready　to　take　the　job；　but　no
  one　who　knows　the　country　south。　　Three　days　ago　I　had　a　bunch　of
  cattle　stolen　right　here　from　the　home…ranch　corrals；　and　by　one
  man；　at　that。　　It　wasn't　much　of　a　bunchabout　twenty　headbut
  I'm　going　to　make　a　starter　right　here；　and　now。　　I'm　going　to
  get　that　bunch　back；　and　the　man　who　stole　them；　if　I　have　to　go
  to　hell　to　do　it。　　And　I'm　going　to　do　the　same　with　every　case
  of　rustling　that　comes　up　from　now　on。　　I　don't　care　if　it's　only
  one　cow；　I'm　going　to　get　it　backevery　trip。　　Now；　I　want　to
  know　if　you'll　lead　a　posse　down　into　the　south　country　and　bring
  out　that　last　bunch；　and　the　man　who　rustled　them？〃
  〃I　don't　know〃　hesitated　the　stranger。
  〃I　offer　you　five　thousand　dollars　in　gold　if　you'll　bring　back
  those　cows　and　the　man　who　stole　'em；〃　repeated　Buck　Johnson。
  〃And　I'll　give　you　all　the　horses　and　men　you　think　you　need。〃
  〃I'll　do　it；〃replied　the　two…gun　man　promptly。
  〃Good！〃　cried　Buck　Johnson；　〃and　you　better　start　to…morrow。〃
  〃I　shall　start　to…nightright　now。〃
  〃Better　yet。　　How　many　men　do　you　want；　and　grub　for　how　long？〃
  〃I'll　play　her　a　lone　hand。〃
  〃Alone！〃　exclaimed　Johnson；　his　confidence　visibly　cooling。
  〃Alone！　　Do　you　think　you　can　make　her？〃
  〃I'll　be　back　with　those　cattle　in　not　more　than　ten　days。〃
  〃And　the　man；〃　supplemented　the　Senor。
  〃And　the　man。　　What's　more；　I　want　that　money　here　when　I　come
  in。　　I　don't　aim　to　stay　in　this　country　over　night。〃
  A　grin　overspread　Buck　Johnson's　countenance。　　He　understood。
  〃Climate　not　healthy　for　you？〃　he　hazarded。　　〃I　guess　you'd　be
  safe　enough　all　right　with　us。　　But　suit　yourself。　　The　money
  will　be　here。〃
  〃That's　agreed？〃　insisted　the　two…gun　man。
  〃Sure。〃
  〃I　want　a　fresh　horseI'll　leave　minehe's　a　good　one。　　I　want
  a　little　grub。〃
  〃All　right。　　Parker'll　fit　you　out。〃
  The　stranger　rose。
  〃I'll　see　you　in　about　ten　days。〃
  〃Good　luck；〃　Senor　Buck　Johnson　wished　him。
  CHAPTER　FOUR
  THE　ACCOMPLISHMENT
  The　next　morning　Buck　Johnson　took　a　trip　down　into　the　〃pasture〃
  of　five　hundred　wire…fenced　acres。
  〃He　means　business；〃　he　confided　to　Jed　Parker；　on　his　return。
  〃That　cavallo　of　his　is　a　heap　sight　better　than　the　Shorty　horse
  we　let　him　take。　　Jed；　you　found　your　man　with　nerve；　all　right。
  How　did　you　do　it？〃
  The　two　settled　down　to　wait；　if　not　with　confidence；　at　least
  with　interest。　　Sometimes；　remembering　the　desperate　character　of
  the　outlaws；　their　fierce　distrust　of　any　intruder；　the　wildness
  of　the　country；　Buck　Johnson　and　his　foreman　inclined　to　the
  belief　that　the　stranger　had　undertaken　a　task　beyond　the　powers
  of　any　one　man。　　Again；　remembering　the　stranger's　cool　grey　eye；
  the　poise　of　his　demeanour；　the　quickness　of　his　movements；　and
  the　two　guns　with　tied　holsters　to　permit　of　easy　withdrawal；
  they　were　almost　persuaded　that　he　might　win。
  〃He's　one　of　those　long…chance　fellows；〃　surmised　Jed。　〃He　likes
  excitement。　　I　see　that　by　the　way　he　takes　up　with　my　knife
  play。　　He'd　rather　leave　his　hide　on　the　fence　than　stay　in　the
  corral。〃
  〃Well；　he's　all　right；〃　replied　Senor　Buck　Johnson；〃and　if　he
  ever　gets　back；　which　same　I'm　some　doubtful　of；　his　dinero'll　be
  here　for　him。〃
  In　pursuance　of　this　he　rode　in　to　Willets；　where　shortly　the
  overland　train　brought　him　from　Tucson　the　five　thousand　dollars
  in　double　eagles。
  In　the　meantime　the　regular　life　of　the　ranch　went　on。　　Each
  morning　Sang；　the　Chinese　cook；　rang　the　great　bell；　summoning
  the　men。　　They　ate；　and　then　caught　up　the　saddle　horses　for　the
  day；　turning　those　not　wanted　from　the　corral　into　the　pasture。
  Shortly　they　jingled　away　in　different　directions；　two　by　two；　on
  the　slow　Spanish　trot　of　the　cow…puncher。　　All　day　long　thus　they
  would　ride；　without　food　or　water　for　man　or　beast；　looking　the
  range；　identifying　the　stock；　branding　the　young　calves；
  examining　generally　into　the　state　of　affairs；　gazing　always　with
  grave　eyes　on　the　magnificent；　flaming；　changing；　beautiful；
  dreadful　desert　of　the　Arizona　plains。　　At　evening　when　the
  coloured　atmosphere；　catching　the　last　glow；　threw　across　the
  Chiricahuas　its　veil　of　mystery；　they　jingled　in　again；　two　by
  two；　untired；　unhasting；　the　glory　of　the　desert　in　their
  deep…set；　steady　eyes。
  And　all　the　day　long；　while　they　were　absent；　the　cattle；　too；
  made　their　pilgrimage；　straggling　in　singly；　in　pairs；　in
  bunches；　in　long　files；　leisurely；　ruminantly；　without　haste。
  There；　at　the　long　troughs　filled　by　the　windmill　of　the
  blindfolded　pump　mule；　they　drank；　then　filed　away　again　into　the
  mists　of　the　desert。　　And　Senor　Buck　Johnson；　or　his　foreman；
  Parker；　examined　them　for　their　condition；　noting　the　increase；
  remarking　the　strays　from　another　range。　　Later；　perhaps；　they；
  too；　rode　abroad。　　The　same　thing　happened　at　nine　other　ranches
  from　five　to　ten　miles　apart；　where　dwelt　other　fierce；　silent
  men　all　under　the　authority　of　Buck　Johnson。
  And　when　night　fell；　and　the　topaz　and　violet　and　saffron　and
  amethyst　and　mauve　and　lilac　had　faded　suddenly　from　the
  Chiricahuas；　like　a　veil　that　has　been　rent；　and　the　ramparts　had
  become　slate…grey　and　then　blackthe　soft…breathed　night
  wandered　here　and　there　over　the　desert；　and　the　land　fell　under
  an　enchantment　even　stranger　than　the　day's。
  So　the　days　went　by；　wonderful；　fashioning　the　ways　and　the
  characters　of　men。　　Seven　passed。　　Buck　　Johnson　and　his　foreman
  began　to　look　for　the　stranger。　　Eight；　they　began　to　speculate。
  Nine；　they　doubted。　　On　the　tenth　they　gave　him　upand　he　came。
  They　knew　him　first　by　the　soft　lowing　of　cattle。　　Jed　Parker；
  dazzled　by　the　lamp；　peered　out　from　the　door；　and　made　him　out
  dimly　turning　the　animals　into　the　corral。　　A　moment　later　his
  pony's　hoofs　impacted　softly　on　the　baked　earth；　he　dropped　from
  the　saddle　and　entered　the　room。
  〃I'm　late；〃　said　he　briefly；　glancing　at　the　clock；　which
  indicated　ten；　〃but　I'm　here。〃
  His　manner　was　quick　and　sharp；　almost　breathless；　as　though　he
  had　been　running。
  〃Your　cattle　are　in　the　corral：　all　of　them。　　Have　you　the
  money？〃
  〃I　have　the　money　here；〃　replied　Buck　Johnson；　laying　his　hand
  against　a　drawer；　〃and　it's　ready　for　you　when　you've　earned　it。
  I　don't　care　so　much　for　the　cattle。　　What　I　wanted　is　the　man
  who　stole　them。　　Did　you　bring　him？〃
  〃Yes；　I　brought　him；〃　said　the　stranger。　〃Let's　see　that　money。〃
  Buck　Johnson　threw　open　the　drawer；　and　drew　from　it　the　heavy
  canvas　sack。
  〃It's　here。　　Now　bring　in　your　prisoner。〃
  The　two…gun　man　seemed　suddenly　to　loom　large　in　the　doorway。
  The　muzzles　of　his　revolvers　covered　the　two　before　him。　　His
  speech　came　short　and　sharp。
  〃I　told　you　I'd　bring　back　the　cows　and　the　one　who　rustled
  them；〃　he　snapped。　　〃I've　never　lied　to　a　man　yet。　　Your　stock　is
  in　the　corral。　　I'll　troubl