If I hadn't rung them in, there wouldn't have been any. You've had
cold feet, Owens says, especially since this Ranger Steele has been
here."
"Well, call it cold feet if you like. But I call it sense. We reached
our limit long ago. We began by rustling a few cattle at a time when
rustling was laughed at. But as our greed grew so did our boldness. Then
came the gang, the regular trips, and one thing and another till, before
we knew it--before _I_ knew it, we had shady deals, hold-ups, and
murders on our record. Then we had to go on. Too late to turn back!"
"I reckon we've all said that. None of the gang wants to quit. They all
think, and I think, we can't be touched. We may be blamed, but nothing
can be proved. We're too strong."
"There's where you're dead wrong," rejoined Sampson, emphatically. "I
imagined that once, not long ago. I was bull-headed. Who would ever
connect Roger Sampson with a rustler gang? I've changed my mind. I've
begun to think. I've reasoned out things. We're crooked and we can't
last. It's the nature of life, even in wild Pecos, for conditions to
grow better. The wise deal for us would be to divide equally and leave
the country, all of us."
"But you and I have all the stock--all the gain," protested Wright.
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