That Eagle
Creek Ranch, if them corrals was fixed up a little an' them old cattle
sheds tore down, an' the ditches gone over, it would be a good outfit.
If it was taken hold of right, there wouldn't be a better proposition
on the South Slope." Gloom settled upon the cowboy's face: "But
there's Win. I started out to show him up." He smiled grimly. "Well,
I did. Only not just exactly as I allowed to. Lookin' over the
back-trail, I reckon, when us four took to the brush there wasn't only
one damned skunk in the crowd--an' that was me. It's funny a man can
be that ornery an' never notice it. But, I bet Bat knew. He's pure
gold, Bat is. He's about as prepossessin' to look at as an old gum
boot, but his heart's all there--an' you bet, Bat, he knows."
It was within a quarter of a mile of Antelope Butte that the Texan,
riding along the bottom of a wide coulee met another horseman. This
time there was no spurring toward him, and he noticed that the man's
hand rested near his right hip. He shifted his own gun arm and
continued on his course without apparently noticing the other who
approached in the same manner.
Suddenly he laughed: "Hello, Curt!"
"Well, I'm damned if it ain't Tex! Thought maybe I was going to get
the high-sign."
"Same here." Both men relaxed from their attitude of alertness, and
Curt leaned closer.
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