The doors of the stores were
barricaded. Down side streets, however, I saw a few people, a buckboard,
and stray cattle.
When I reached the edge of town I turned aside a little and took a look
at the ruins of Steele's adobe house. The walls and debris had all been
flattened, scattered about, and if anything of, value had escaped
destruction it had disappeared. Steele, however, had left very little
that would have been of further use to him. Turning again, I continued
on my way up to the ranch. It seemed that, though I was eager rather
than backward, my mind seized avidly upon suggestion or attraction, as
if to escape the burden of grim pondering. When about half-way across
the flat, and perhaps just out of gun-shot sound of Sampson's house, I
heard the rapid clatter of hoofs on the hard road. I wheeled, expecting
to see Morton and his man, and was ready to be chagrined at their coming
openly instead of by the back way. But this was only one man, and it was
not Morton. He seemed of big build, and he bestrode a fine bay horse.
There evidently was reason for hurry, too. At about one hundred yards,
when I recognized Snecker, complete astonishment possessed me.
Well it was I had ample time to get on my guard! In wheeling my horse I
booted him so hard that he reared.
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