surprise was evident.
"We come from many places," he replied. "You'll find among Western men some who know many things beside cows and range conditions." He paused. "Miss Gelina, I'm curious.
Why did you come here?"
"Because of the land I own," she replied coldly. "What other reason could there be?"
He shrugged, turning his hat in his hand. "I was wondering. Usually folks who have a good working ranch and a herd the size of yours don't leave the place where they are. I'm wonder ing why you left, and why you work a bunch of hands who handle guns better than they do cows."
Angelina Foley glanced toward the door. She was alone here, with only the Mexican woman cook for company, but she was thinking rapidly, trying to discover some method of attract ing some of her hands back to this ranch. Radigan had guessed shrewdly that this would be the last place they would think of looking, and moreover, every remark he made gave greater reason for worry. This was no ordinary cowhand or cattleman.
"I wrote to the governor," he said.
She stiffened. "You what?"
"I wrote to the governor," he repeated. "They know me in Santa Fe, and I wanted them to know what was happening here."
She was frightened, but she knew at once that they were in real trouble. This was the last thing they had expected. When they prepared to drive west out of Texas, Harvey had assured her there would be no trouble as they not only had claim to the land to which they were going but the man squatted on it would be eliminated before they arrived. She had suspected for some time that Harvey had some further idea in the back of his head, some idea for going to the New Mexico ranch. She had not inquired too much about that.
The move was essential. Her father had managed the ranch poorly, had spent too much money, and had become involved in hopeless quarrels. It was due to her own quick action and positive thinking as much as to Harvey that they had abandoned the hopeless fight and moved to New Mexico. The trail they had left behind them was not a pretty one, but due to Ross Wall they had brought the herd safely across the long, dry drive and had left behind all pursuers-left them dead.
Now, if an inquiry began there would be immediate repercussions from Texas.
Instantly she knew he must not guess her panic, and she saw that somehow she must win him over or he must be killed. Or better yet, made to disappear. If he merely disappeared there would be a period of waiting to see if he reappeared, and by that time they would be settled on the ranch with friends of their own.
"It's too bad there is trouble between us." She got up and walked to the window, and as she spoke her thoughts raced swiftly ahead, searching out a way through all the nooks and crannies of possible solutions. "You're a strong man, Tom." "Just a cattleman."
"No, far more than that. I wish we could have met under other circumstances. A girl in my position, who has to run a ranch like a man, doesn't meet many men who are of interest to her."
She was not, she reflected, just talking. Every word was the truth. She turned suddenly and looked at him, seeing for the first time through the implication of her own words, and realiz ing it was true: this was the man she should have met before this.
He was a handsome man. And without doubt a courageous one. There was nothing of Harvey in him, Harvey who had an ulterior motive for everything, and who was always searching for some way to make money without work.
She crossed the room to him. Over her shoulder he saw that the road was still empty.
"Tom, what do you want out of life? I mean, what are you working for?"
"I want to make that ranch pay. You have no idea what a job that is. I mean, you've come here from a Plains state where the problems are tough enough, but you know the answers to them, as I did. Up here one has to learn new answers, new ways. I'm cautious, so I came with few cattle, and I worked particularly hard to keep them alive. By the time I
"We come from many places," he replied. "You'll find among Western men some who know many things beside cows and range conditions." He paused. "Miss Gelina, I'm curious.
Why did you come here?"
"Because of the land I own," she replied coldly. "What other reason could there be?"
He shrugged, turning his hat in his hand. "I was wondering. Usually folks who have a good working ranch and a herd the size of yours don't leave the place where they are. I'm wonder ing why you left, and why you work a bunch of hands who handle guns better than they do cows."
Angelina Foley glanced toward the door. She was alone here, with only the Mexican woman cook for company, but she was thinking rapidly, trying to discover some method of attract ing some of her hands back to this ranch. Radigan had guessed shrewdly that this would be the last place they would think of looking, and moreover, every remark he made gave greater reason for worry. This was no ordinary cowhand or cattleman.
"I wrote to the governor," he said.
She stiffened. "You what?"
"I wrote to the governor," he repeated. "They know me in Santa Fe, and I wanted them to know what was happening here."
She was frightened, but she knew at once that they were in real trouble. This was the last thing they had expected. When they prepared to drive west out of Texas, Harvey had assured her there would be no trouble as they not only had claim to the land to which they were going but the man squatted on it would be eliminated before they arrived. She had suspected for some time that Harvey had some further idea in the back of his head, some idea for going to the New Mexico ranch. She had not inquired too much about that.
The move was essential. Her father had managed the ranch poorly, had spent too much money, and had become involved in hopeless quarrels. It was due to her own quick action and positive thinking as much as to Harvey that they had abandoned the hopeless fight and moved to New Mexico. The trail they had left behind them was not a pretty one, but due to Ross Wall they had brought the herd safely across the long, dry drive and had left behind all pursuers-left them dead.
Now, if an inquiry began there would be immediate repercussions from Texas.
Instantly she knew he must not guess her panic, and she saw that somehow she must win him over or he must be killed. Or better yet, made to disappear. If he merely disappeared there would be a period of waiting to see if he reappeared, and by that time they would be settled on the ranch with friends of their own.
"It's too bad there is trouble between us." She got up and walked to the window, and as she spoke her thoughts raced swiftly ahead, searching out a way through all the nooks and crannies of possible solutions. "You're a strong man, Tom." "Just a cattleman."
"No, far more than that. I wish we could have met under other circumstances. A girl in my position, who has to run a ranch like a man, doesn't meet many men who are of interest to her."
She was not, she reflected, just talking. Every word was the truth. She turned suddenly and looked at him, seeing for the first time through the implication of her own words, and realiz ing it was true: this was the man she should have met before this.
He was a handsome man. And without doubt a courageous one. There was nothing of Harvey in him, Harvey who had an ulterior motive for everything, and who was always searching for some way to make money without work.
She crossed the room to him. Over her shoulder he saw that the road was still empty.
"Tom, what do you want out of life? I mean, what are you working for?"
"I want to make that ranch pay. You have no idea what a job that is. I mean, you've come here from a Plains state where the problems are tough enough, but you know the answers to them, as I did. Up here one has to learn new answers, new ways. I'm cautious, so I came with few cattle, and I worked particularly hard to keep them alive. By the time I
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