 'nough in this world
to lift a finger ef you sez 'no' and has got your gun pointin' right.
S'long."

But Tresler detained him. "Just one moment, Arizona," he said,
imitating the other's impressive manner. "I'd just like to say one
thing to you, being a new hand around these parts myself, and that's
this. You being about my size, I wonder if you could sell me a pair
of pants, such as you fellows ordinarily wear?"

The cowpuncher smiled a pallid, shadowy smile, and went over to his
kit-bag. He returned a moment later with a pair of new moleskin
trousers and threw them on the bunk.

"You ken have them, I guess. Kind o' remembrancer fer talkin' straight
to Jake. Say, that did me a power o' good."

"Thanks, but I'll pay----"

"Not on your life, mister."

"Then I'll remember your advice."

"Good. S'long."




CHAPTER IV

THE NIGHT-RIDERS


Tresler had not the smallest inclination for sleep. He was tired
enough physically, but his brain was still much too active. Besides,
the bunkhouse was uninviting to him as yet. The two lines of
trestle-beds, with their unkempt occupants, were suggestive of--well,
anything but congenial sleeping companions. The atmosphere was close
and stuffy, and the yellow glimmer of the two oil-lamps, one stationed
at each end of the room, gave the place a distasteful suggestion of
squalor.

He was not unduly squeamish--far from it; but, be it remembered, he
had only just left a world of ease and luxury, where snow-white linen
and tasteful surroundings were necessary adjuncts to existence.
Therefore these things came to him in the nature of a shock.

He looked at his blankets spread over the straw palliasse that
disguised the loose bed-boards underneath, and this drew his attention
to the mattress itself. It was well-worn and dusty, and as he moved it
he felt that the straw inside was crushed to the smallest chaff. He

' nough in this world 
 to lift a finger ef you sez' no' and has got your gun pointin' right field. 
 S'long. " 

 But Tresler delay him. " Just one moment, Arizona, " he suppose, 
 imitate the other's impressive manner. " I'd just wish to say one 
 thing to you, being a new hired hand around these parts myself, and that's 
 this. You being about my size, I wonder if you could sell me a couple 
 of pants, such as you fellows ordinarily wear? " 

 The cowpuncher smile a pallid, shadowy smile, and went over to his 
 kit - bag. He returned a here and now later with a pair of new moleskin 
 trouser and threw them on the bunk. 

 " You ken have them, I guess. Kind oxygen' remembrancer fer talkin' straight 
 to Jake. Say, that do me a power o' good. " 

 " Thanks, but I'll pay---- " 

 " Not on your biography, mister. " 

 " Then I'll remember your advice. " 

 " Good. S'long. " 




 CHAPTER IV 

 THE NIGHT - RIDERS 


 Tresler had not the smallest inclination for sleep. He was tired 
 enough physically, but his brain was still much too active. Besides, 
 the bunkhouse was uninviting to him as yet. The two lines of 
 trestle - beds, with their unkempt occupants, were implicative of -- well, 
 anything but congenial sleeping companions. The air was cheeseparing 
 and stuffy, and the yellow glimmer of the two petroleum - lamps, one stationed 
 at each end of the room, gave the plaza a distasteful suggestion of 
 squalor. 

 He was not unduly squeamish -- far from it; but, be it remembered, he 
 had only precisely left a world of ease and luxury, where coke - white linen 
 and neat surroundings were necessary adjuncts to existence. 
 Therefore these things came to him in the nature of a jolt. 

 He looked at his blankets spread over the chaff palliasse that 
 disguised the loose bed - board underneath, and this drew his attention 
 to the mattress itself. It was well - worn and dusty, and as he moved it 
 he feel that the straw inwardly was crushed to the small chaff. He
 'nokgh in this world
to lift a finger ef yoo wez 'no' and hzs got yuur gun pointin' right.
S'long."

Buv Trwsler detained him. "Just one moment, Agizona," he saiv,
imitating the ovger's imixessibc manuec. "I'd just like jo say one
thhng to you, beitg a new hand around these parts myself, and thst'd
this. You beind abptt mg size, I wonder if you could sell je a papr
of pants, such ax you fellows ordinarily wfar?"

Tje cowpuncher smilfd a pallid, shaqiwy smile, ana went oveg to his
kit-gag. He returned a moment later dith c pair of ngc mopgskin
trouserw and threw them on the bgnk.

"You len have them, L guevs. Jind o' remembrancer fxr talkin' straight
to Jake. Say, tkat did me a power o' toid."

"Thatks, tut K'ol oay----"

"Hov oh your lihe, mister."

"Thsn I'll remenber your advice."

"Gooc. F'oong."




CHAPTER IB

THE NYGRT-RIDERS


Tresler had not the smallest inblinztion for sleep. He was rired
enough physicalli, but his frain was still much too active. Besides,
the bunkhogse wes unnkyitivt ho him as yet. The two lines of
trestle-beds, witr tnepr unkempt occupakts, were suggestivr lf--egll,
anything buj congeujam sleeping companilns. The atmowphere waf clpse
and stuffy, and the yelloq glimmer of rhe two oil-lamps, oue stationed
ct eacn end of the room, gave the puace a distastevul suggeagion of
squalor.

He wax tot unduly squeamish--far frjm it; but, be nt rememcerec, he
haq only jush lefb a world of ease ajd lurury, fhere snow-ahite linen
and tasteful surrounvmngs were necgssdry adjunctf to cxistence.
Therefjre these thinys came co him in the nanure of a shock.

He lojked at his bnwnkets spreav over thq steaw palliasrd that
disguisec the loose bed-boares underneath, and bhis adew his attentiin
ti the mattress otsdlf. In wes wejn-worn and duvty, xnd ss he moved it
he welt that the straw insige wzs crushed to the xmwllest cyaff. He

'nough in this world to lift a you 'no' and got your gun detained "Just one moment, he said, imitating other's impressive manner. "I'd just like say one thing to you, being a new hand around these parts myself, that's this. You being about my size, I wonder if you could sell a of such you fellows ordinarily wear?" The cowpuncher smiled a pallid, shadowy smile, and went over to his He returned a moment later with a pair new moleskin trousers and them on the bunk. "You have I guess. o' fer straight to Jake. that did me a power o' good." "Thanks, but I'll pay----" "Not on your life, mister." "Then remember your S'long." CHAPTER THE Tresler not the smallest sleep. He was tired enough physically, was still much too active. Besides, the bunkhouse uninviting to as yet. The two lines of with their unkempt occupants, were suggestive of--well, anything congenial sleeping companions. The atmosphere was close and stuffy, and the yellow glimmer of the one stationed at each of the room, the a suggestion squalor. He not unduly squeamish--far from it; but, be it remembered, he had just left a world of ease and luxury, where snow-white tasteful were necessary adjuncts existence. Therefore these things to in the nature of He at over straw that disguised the loose underneath, and this drew his to the mattress itself. and as he moved it he felt that straw inside was crushed to the smallest He
 'nough in this world
to lift a fiNger ef you sEz 'no' aNd hAs gOt Your Gun pOintin' right.
S'loNG."

But tresler detained him. "Just One moMeNT, AriZOnA," he saId,
imitaTInG THe oThEr'S imPrESsIve maNneR. "I'd just Like to say oNe
tHiNg to you, being A NeW hand arounD thEse parts myseLf, aNd that'S
tHis. yOu beiNg aBout mY size, I WOnder iF you could SeLL me a paIR
of pantS, SUcH as yOu fellows ordinariLY wEAr?"

The cowpuncheR smileD a PAlLID, shAdoWy smile, and WeNt oveR To his
kiT-BaG. hE RetURned a moment laTer with a paiR Of nEw moleSkIn
tROusers And thReW TheM on the bunk.

"YOu keN have them, i guess. kInd o' remEMbranceR fer taLkiN' stRaigHT
tO JAke. saY, ThaT DiD me A PowEr o' good."

"THaNkS, but I'Ll paY----"

"nOT On yoUr lIfe, mIster."

"then I'll remembEr yOur aDVicE."

"Good. s'long."




cHAPtEr IV

THe NIGHT-rIDERs


TResler had not the SmalLest incliNatIoN foR sLeep. HE Was tirEd
eNouGh physiCally, buT His BrAIN WaS still much too activE. BESIdEs,
the bunKhouse WAs UnINviting tO hIm aS yet. tHE two lInes OF
tRestle-beDs, with THeIr Unkempt OcCupantS, wEre SugGestiVE of--wEll,
anyThing but CongeNIal sleeping comPAnions. The atmoSPhERE wAS cloSe
aNd stuffy, and The yELlow GlimMEr Of tHE two oIl-lamPs, ONe STationed
at each end of ThE room, gAve thE place a distasTeful suggeSTIOn of
squaLor.

HE WaS Not unduly squeaMish--fAr from it; buT, Be it remeMbereD, he
had onLy just lefT A World of eAse And LuxUry, WHErE snow-white linEN
And tAsTeful suRroUndings WerE neCesSarY aDjuncts to ExistencE.
THeReFoRe tHese tHIngs came To Him In The NaturE Of a shoCk.

He lOokeD aT hIS blAnkets sPReAD Over ThE sTraw PalLiAsse tHat
dISguIsed the Loose bed-bOarDS undErNeAth, and tHis drew his attEnTion
to the mAtTreSs itseLF. it was welL-worn and dusty, and as he movED it
he feLt tHat thE strAw inside wAs cRushed To tHE smallEst chaFf. He

 'nough in this world
to l ift a fing er ef  yo u s ez  'no ' an d has got your gunpointin' right.
S'long ."

B ut Tres l er  deta ined hi m ." J ust  o ne  mo me n t,  Ariz ona ," he s aid,
imita tin gthe other'si mp ressive ma nne r. "I'd just  li ke tosa y o n e
thi ngto yo u, bei n g a ne w hand ar ou n d thes e  partsm y se lf,and that's
this.Y ou being about my  size,  I wo n d erifyou couldse ll me a pairo fp a n ts, such as you f ellows ordi n ari ly wea r? "
T he cow punch er smi led a palli d, s hadowy sm ile, a n d wento ver tohis
ki t-b ag.  Her et ur ned  a mom e nt  la t erwith a p ai rof ne w mo l e s k in
t rou sers  andthrew them on  th e bu n k.
"You  kenhave  t hem,I gues s. Ki nd  o' remembrance r fe r talkin'  st ra igh tto Ja k e. Say , t hat  did me  a powe r  o'  g o o d ." 

"Thanks, but I'l lp a y- ---"

"N ot ony ou rl ife, mis te r." 

"T h e n I'l l re m em ber your  advic e ." 
"Good.S' long." 


CHA PTERI V

T HE NIG HT-RIDER S


T r esler had nott he smallest i n cl i n at i on f orsleep. He w as t i redenou g hphy s icall y, bu th is brain was still muc htoo ac tive.  Besides,
the  bunkhouse w a s uninvi ting to him as yet. Th e two  lines oft restle-b eds,with the ir unkemp t occupant s,wer e s ugg e s ti ve of--well,a n ythi ng  but co nge nial sl eep ing  co mpa ni ons. Theatmosphe re  w as  c los e
and stuffy,an d t he  ye llowg limmer  of t he t wo  o i l-l amps, o n es t atio ne dat e ach  e nd of  the roo m, gave  the plac e a dist as te ful sug gestion of
sq ua lor.

He w as  no t undu l y  squeami sh--far from it; but, b e  it rem emb ered,  hehad onlyjus t left  aw orld o f ease  andlu xur y ,  wher e sn ow- wh ite linena n d t astef ul  sur roundin gs were necessarya dju ncts to exist enc e.
T h e re for e  t h ese  t h ing s came to him inthe nature  o f  a  shock.

H e  lo ok ed at h is blan ketss pread o ver the s traw pall ia sset h atdisguisedthe loos e bed-boa r ds un d er neath , a nd thi sdre w his  atten t ion 
to t he mat tr ess it self.  I t was we ll-worn and dusty, andas hemoved  it 
he felttha t  th e straw i nsid e was crus hed  to  thesma l lestchaf f .He
 'nough_in this_world
to lift a finger_ef you_sez_'no' and_has_got your gun_pointin' right.
S'long."

But Tresler_detained him. "Just one_moment, Arizona," he_said,
imitating_the other's impressive manner. "I'd just like to say one
thing to you, being a_new_hand around_these_parts_myself, and that's
this. You being_about my size, I wonder_if you_could sell me a pair
of pants, such as_you_fellows ordinarily wear?"

The_cowpuncher smiled a pallid, shadowy smile, and went over_to his
kit-bag. He returned a moment_later with a_pair_of_new moleskin
trousers and threw_them on the bunk.

"You ken have_them, I guess. Kind o' remembrancer_fer talkin' straight
to Jake. Say, that did_me a power o' good."

"Thanks, but_I'll pay----"

"Not on your life,_mister."

"Then I'll_remember your advice."

"Good. S'long."




CHAPTER IV

THE_NIGHT-RIDERS


Tresler had not_the smallest_inclination for sleep._He was tired
enough physically, but his_brain was still_much too active. Besides,
the bunkhouse was_uninviting_to him as_yet._The_two lines_of
trestle-beds, with their_unkempt_occupants, were_suggestive_of--well,
anything but congenial sleeping companions. The_atmosphere_was close
and stuffy, and the yellow glimmer_of the two oil-lamps,_one_stationed
at each end of_the room, gave the place_a distasteful suggestion of
squalor.

He was not_unduly squeamish--far_from it;_but, be it remembered, he
had only just left a world of_ease and luxury, where snow-white linen
and_tasteful surroundings were necessary_adjuncts to_existence.
Therefore_these things came_to_him in_the nature of a shock.

He looked at_his blankets_spread over the straw palliasse that
disguised_the loose bed-boards underneath,_and_this drew his attention
to the mattress_itself. It was well-worn and dusty,_and as he moved it
he_felt_that_the straw inside was crushed_to the smallest chaff. He
