Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-08-17
BOOK 1.-THE RANGER.
CHAPTER XIV.

north where the Llano Estacado spread
It's shifting sands, fertile In the south
along the Rio Grande. A railroad
marked an undertaking course across 500
miles OF this country, and the only viii
lages and towns lay on or near this line
of steel. Unsettled as was this western
Texas, n despite the acknowledged
dominance of the outlaw bands, the
pioneers pushed steadily into it. First
had come the lone rancher; then his
ne1ghbors in near and far valleys; then
the hamlets; at last the railroad ard
the towns. And still the pioneers came,
spreading deeper into the valleys, far
ther n wider over the plains. 1t was
mesqulte-dotted, cac~tus-covered desert.
put rich soil upon which water acted
IKE magic. There was little grass to
an acre, but there We're millions of
acres. The climate was wonderful.
Cattle flourished and ranchers pros
pered.
Tho Rio Grande flowed almost due
south along the western boundary for
l,ooo miles, n then, weary of its
course, turned abruptly north, to make
what was called the Big Bend. The rail-
road, running west, cut across this
Bend, and all that country bounded on
the north by the railroad and on the
south by the river was as wild as the
Staked Plalns. 1t contained not one set
tIement Across the face OF this Big
Bend, as if to isolate it, stretched the
Ord mountain range, of which Mount
Ord, Cathedral mount, and Elephant
noun raised bleak peaks above their
fellows. In n valleys of the foothills
ana out across the plains We're ranches,
and farther north, villages, and the
towns of Alpine and Maria.
Like other parts of the great Lone
star state, this section of Texas was a
world in itself-a world where the rich
es OF the rancher were ever enriching
the outlaw. The village closest to the
gateway Of this outlaw-infested region
was a little place called Ord, named
after the dark peak that doomed some
miles to the south. 1t had been settled
originally by Mexicans-there were still
the ruins of adobe missions-but with
the advent of the rustler and outlaw
many inhabitants were shot or driven
away, so that at the height of Ord's
prosperity md vii sway there wero
but few MeXicans living there, and
these had their choice between holding
hand-and-glove with the outlaws or
furnishing target practice for that wild
element.
Toward the close of a day in Septem-
Der a stranger rode into Ord, and in a
community where all men were re-
markable for one reason or another he
excited interest. His horse, perhaps, re-
ceived he first and most engaging at
tcntlon-horses IN that region being APP
"ASi.iy ihoIS iilpOIldllL lIlan men.
This particular horse did not attract
with beauty. At first glance he seemed
ugly. But he was a giant, black as coal
rough despite the care manifestly be-
slowed upon him, long Of body, pond
erous of limb, huge in every way. A
bystander remarked hat he had a
grand head. True, if only his head had
been seen he would have been a beauti-
full horse. Like men, horses show what
they are in the shape, the size, the line,
the character of the head. This one de-
noted fire, speed, blood, loyalty, and his
eyes We're as soft and dark as a wo-
mans. Ills face was solid black, except
in the middle of his forehead, there was
a round spot of white.
Say mister, mind tellin' me his
name?' asked IA ragged urchin, with
born love of q horse in his eyes.
Bullet" replied the rider.
Tibet there's for the white mark,
amt it?' whispered the %youngster to
another. Say, amt he a whopper?
Biggest boss | ever seen"
Bullet carried a huge black silver-or-
namented saddle of Mexican make, a
lariat and canteen, and a small pack
rolled into a tarpaulin.
This rider apparently put all care of
appearances upon his horse. His ap-
parel was the ordinary jeans of the
cowboy without vanity, n it was torn
and travel-stained. His boots showed
eNloelce u an mllHale acquaintance
with cactus. Like his horse, this man
was a giant in stature, but RANGER, not
so heavily built. Otherwise the only
striking thing about him was his SOM
Der face with it's piercing eyes, the hair
white over the temples. He packed two
} guns, Doth low doWN1-but that was too
common a thing to attract notice in the
Big Bend. A close observer, however,
{ would have noticed a singular fact
this riders right hand was more bron-
zed, more weather beaten than his left.
lie never Wore a glove on that right
hand!
!, He had dismounted before a ram
shackle structure that bore upon it's
wide, high-boarded front the sign,
Hotel" There We're horsemen coming
and going down h wide street be-
tween it's rows of old stores, saloons,
; and houses. Ord certainly did moi look
enterprising. Americans had manifestly
assimilated much Of the leisure of the
MeXicans. The hotel had a wide plat
form in front, and this did duty as
a porch and sidewalk. Upon it and lean
: ing against a hitching rail, We're men of
varying ages, most of them slovenly in
!. old jeans and slouched sombreros. Some
= = were booted, belted and spurred. No
man there wore a coat. but all wore
vests. The gun in that group would
> : have outnumbered the men.
: 1t was a crowd seemingly too lazy to
, Oe curious. GoOu nature did not appear
: to be wanting, but it was not the frank
/, , and boisterous kind natural to the cow
. boy or rancher in town for a day. These
: men We're idiers; what else. perhaps,
was easy to conjecture. Certainly to
: this arriving stranger. who flashed q
keen w over them. they wore an at
: mosphere never associated with work.
presently a tall man, with a dropping.
! sandy mustache. leisurely detached
. himself from the crowd.
: "Howdy. stranger he said.
, The stranger had bent over to loosen
the cinches; he Strengthened up and
nodded. Then: I'm thirsty"
That brought a broad smile to faces
! 1t was characteristic greeting. One and
all trooped after the stranger into the
hotel. 1t was a dark, ill-smelling barn
7 OF q. place, with a bar as high as a short
mans head. A bartender with a SCARED
: face was serving drinks.
Line up gents" said the stranger
: They piled over n another to gel
to h bar. with coarse jests and oaths
III --A v-..-l