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with an eye single to the premium that might or might not accompany the
package。
〃I started to tell you； ma'am； when that infant interrupted； that the
cowmen don't aim to quit business yet a while。 They've drawn a dead…line；
Miss Messiter；〃
〃A dead…line？〃
〃Yes； ma'am； beyond which no sheep herder is to run his bunch。〃
〃And if he does？〃 the girl asked； open eyed。
〃 He don't do it twict； ma'am。 Why don't you pass the fritters to Miss
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Messiter； Slim？〃
〃And about this Bannister Who is he？〃
Her innocent question seemed to ring a bell for silence； seemed to
carry with it some hidden portent that stopped idle conversation as a
striking clock that marks the hour of an execution。
The smile that had been gay grew grim； and men forgot the subject of
their light； casual talk。 It was Sothern that answered her； and she observed
that his voice was grave； his face studiously without expression。
〃Mr。 Bannister； ma'am； is a sheepman。〃
〃So I understood； but 〃 Her eyes traveled swiftly round the table； and
appraised the sudden sense of responsibility that had fallen on these
reckless； careless frontiersmen。 〃I am wondering what else he is。 Really；
he seems to be the bogey man of Gimlet Butte。〃
There was another instant silence； and again it was Soapy that lifted it。
〃I expaict you'll like Wyoming； Miss Messiter； leastways I hope you will。
There's a right smart of country here。〃 His gaze went out of the open door
to the vast sea of space that swam in the fine sunset light。 〃Yes； most folks
that ain't plumb spoilt with city ways likes it。〃
〃Sure she'll like it。 Y'u want to get a good； easy…riding hawss； Miss
Messiter；〃 advised Slim。
〃And a rifle；〃 added Texas； promptly。
It occurred to her that they were all working together to drift the
conversation back to a safe topic。 She followed the lead given her； but she
made up her mind to know what it was about her neighbor； Mr。 Bannister；
the sheep herder； that needed to be handled with such wariness and
circumspection of speech。
Her chance came half an hour later； when she stood talking to the
landlady on the hotel porch in the mellow twilight that seemed to rest on
the land like a moonlit aura。 For the moment they were alone。
〃What is it about this man Bannister that makes men afraid to speak of
him？〃 she demanded； with swift impulse。
Her landlady's startled eyes went alertly round to see that they were
alone。 〃Hush； child！ You mustn't speak of him like that；〃 warned the older
woman。
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〃Why mustn't I？ That's what I want to know。〃
〃Is isn't healthy。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
Again that anxious look flashed round in the dusk。 〃The Bannister
outfit is the worst in the land。 Ned Bannister is king of the whole Big Horn
country and beyond that to the Tetons。〃
〃And you mean to tell me that everybody is afraid of himthat men
like Mr。 Sothern dare not say their soul is their own？〃 the newcomer asked；
contemptuously。
〃Not so loud； child。 He has spies everywhere That's the trouble。 You
don't know who is in with him。 He's got the whole region terrified。〃
〃Is he so bad？〃
〃He is a devil。 Last year he and his hell riders swept down on Topaz
and killed two bartenders just to see them kick； Ned Bannister said。 Folks
allow they knew too much。〃
〃But the lawthe Government？ Haven't you a sheriff and officers？〃
〃Bannister has。 He elects the sheriff in this county。〃
〃Aren't there more honest people here than villains？〃
〃Ten times as many； but the trouble is that the honest folks can't trust
each other。 You see； if one of them made a mistake and confided in the
wrong manwell； some fine day he would go riding herd and would not
turn up at night。 Next week； or next month； maybe； one of his partners
might find a pile of bones in an arroyo。
〃Have you ever seen this Bannister？〃
〃You MUST speak lower when you talk of him； Miss Messiter；〃 the
woman insisted。 〃Yes； I saw him once； at least I think I did。 Mighty few
folks know for sure that they have seen him。 He is a mystery； and he
travels under many names and disguises。〃
〃When was it you think you saw him？〃
〃Two years ago at Ayr。 The bank was looted that night and robbed of
thirty thousand dollars。 They roused the cashier from his bed and made
him give the combination。 He didn't want to； and Ned Bannister〃her
voice sank to a tremulous whisper〃put red…hot running…irons between his
fingers till he weakened。 It was a moonlight nightmuch such a night as
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thisand after it was done I peeped through the blind of my room and saw
them ride away。 He rode in front of them and sang like an angeldid it out
of daredeviltry to mock the people of the town that hadn't nerve enough to
shoot him。 You see； he knew that nobody would dare hurt him 'count of
the revenge of his men。〃
〃What was he like？〃 the mistress of the Lazy D asked； strangely awed
at this recital of transcendent villainy。〃
〃'Course he was masked； and I didn't see his face。 But I'd know him
anywhere。 He's a long； slim fellow； built like a mountain lion。 You couldn't
look at him and ever forget him。 He's one of these graceful； easy men that
go so fur with fool women； one of the kind that half shuts his dark； devil
eyes and masters them without seeming to try。〃
〃So he's a woman killer； too； is he？ Any more outstanding
inconsistencies in this versatile Jesse James？〃
〃He's plumb crazy about music； they say。 Has a piano and plays Grigg
and Chopping； and all that classical kind of music。 He went clear down to
Denver last year to hear Mrs。 Shoeman sing。〃
Helen smiled； guessing at Schumann…Heink as the singer in question；
and Grieg and Chopin as the composers named。 Her interest was
incredibly aroused。 She had expected the West and its products to
exhilarate her； but she had not looked to find so finished a Mephisto
among its vaunted 〃bad men。〃 He was probably overrated； considered a
wonder because his accomplishments outstepped those of the range。 But
Helen Messiter had quite determined on one thing。 She was going to meet
this redoubtable villain and make up her mind for herself。 Already； before
she had been in Wyoming six hours； this emancipated young woman had
decided on that。
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CHAPTER 3。 AN INVITATION
GIVEN AND ACCEPTED
And already she had met him。 Not only met him； but saved him from
the just vengeance about to fall upon him。 She had not yet seen her own
ranch； had not spoken to a single one of her employees； for it had been a
part of her plan to drop in unexpected and examine the situation before her
foreman had a chance to put his best foot forward。 So she had started
alone from Gimlet Butte that morning in her machine； and had come
almost in sight of the Lazy D ranch houses when the battle in the coulee
invited her to take a hand。
She had acted on generous impulse； and the unforeseen result had been
to save this desperado from justice。 But the worst of it was that she could
not find it in her heart to regret it。 Granted that he was a villain； double…
dyed and beyond hope； yet he was the home of such courage； such virility；
that her unconsenting admiration went out in spite of herself。 He was； at
any rate； a MAN； square…jawed； resolute； implacable。 In the sinuous trail
of his life might lie arson； robbery； murder； but he still held to that
dynamic spark of self…respect that is akin to the divine。 Nor was it possible
to believe that those unblinking gray eyes； with the capability of a latent
sadness of despair in them； expressed a soul entirely without nobility。 He
had a certain gallant ease； a certain attractive candor； that did not consist
with villainy unadulterated。
It was characterist