“Miss Sampson, I must tell you first,” I began, and hesitated—­“that I’m not a cowboy.  My wild stunts, my drinking and gaming—­these were all pretense.”

“Indeed!  I am very glad to hear it.  And was Sally in your confidence?”

“Only lately.  I am a United States deputy marshal in the service of Steele.”

She gave a slight start, but did not raise her head.

“I have deceived you.  But, all the same, I’ve been your friend.  I ask you to respect my secret a little while.  I’m telling you because otherwise my relation to Steele yesterday would not be plain.  Now, if you and Sally will use this blanket, make yourselves more comfortable seats, I’ll begin my story.”

Miss Sampson allowed me to arrange a place for her where she could rest at ease, but Sally returned to my side and stayed there.  She was an enigma to-day—­pale, brooding, silent—­and she never looked at me except when my face was half averted.

“Well,” I began, “night before last Steele and I lay hidden among the rocks near the edge of town, and we listened to and watched the destruction of Steele’s house.  It had served his purpose to leave lights burning, to have shadows blow across the window-blinds, and to have a dummy in his bed.  Also, he arranged guns to go off inside the house at the least jar.  Steele wanted evidence against his enemies.  It was not the pleasantest kind of thing to wait there listening to that drunken mob.  There must have been a hundred men.  The disturbance and the intent worked strangely upon Steele.  It made him different.  In the dark I couldn’t tell how he looked, but I felt a mood coming in him that fairly made me dread the next day.

“About midnight we started for our camp here.  Steele got in some sleep, but I couldn’t.  I was cold and hot by turns, eager and backward, furious and thoughtful.  You see, the deal was such a complicated one, and to-morrow certainly was nearing the climax.  By morning I was sick, distraught, gloomy, and uncertain.  I had breakfast ready when Steele awoke.  I hated to look at him, but when I did it was like being revived.

“He said:  ’Russ, you’ll trail alongside me to-day and through the rest of this mess.’

“That gave me another shock.  I want to explain to you girls that this was the first time in my life I was backward at the prospects of a fight.  The shock was the jump of my pulse.  My nerve came back.  To line up with Steele against Blome and his gang—­that would be great!

“‘All right, old man,’ I replied.  ‘We’re going after them, then?’

“He only nodded.

“After breakfast I watched him clean and oil and reload his guns.  I didn’t need to ask him if he expected to use them.  I didn’t need to urge upon him Captain Neal’s command.

“‘Russ,’ said Steele, ’we’ll go in together.  But before we get to town I’ll leave you and circle and come in at the back of the Hope So.  You hurry on ahead, post Morton and his men, get the lay of the gang, if possible, and then be at the Hope So when I come in.’