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THE TEXICAN


      *      *      *      *      *      *

  BY THE SAME AUTHOR

     HIDDEN WATER. With four illustrations in color by Maynard Dixon.
       Crown 8vo. $1.35 net.

  A. C. McCLURG & CO., Publishers
  CHICAGO

      *      *      *      *      *      *


[Illustration: The calf was like its mother, but she, on account of her
brand and ear-marks, held the entire attention of the Texan
                                                          [Chapter IV]]


THE TEXICAN

by

DANE COOLIDGE

Author of "Hidden Water"

With Illustrations in Color by Maynard Dixon







[Illustration: [++] Decorative image.]

Chicago
A. C. Mcclurg & Co.
1911

Copyright
A. C. McClurg & Co.
1911

Published September, 1911

Entered at Stationers' Hall, London, England

Press of the Vail Company
Coshocton, U. S. A.




  TO MY OLD FRIEND

  DANE COOLIDGE

  WHO HAS STAYED WITH ME THROUGH ALL MY TROUBLES
  THIS BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED BY
  THE AUTHOR




    "Oh, out from old Missouri
      I set me forth to roam
    Indicted by a jury
      For toling hawgs from home.

    "With faithful Buck and Crowder
      I crossed the Western plains
    Then turned them loose in the Cow-Country
      And waited for my gains.

    "And now I'm called a Cattle King
      With herds on many a stream—
    And all from the natural increase
      Of that faithful old ox-team."
                       _The Song of Good-Eye._




CONTENTS


  CHAPTER                                         PAGE

      I    VERDE CROSSING                            11

     II    GOOD EYE, THE MAVERICK KING               22

    III    THE DOUBLE CROSS                          32

     IV    THE SHOW-DOWN                             46

      V    LOST DOG CAÑON                            60

     VI    "THE VOICE OF REASON"                     74

    VII    THE REVOLUTION                            90

   VIII    THE DAY AFTER                            105

     IX    DEATH AND TAXES                          123

      X    STAMPEDED                                142

     XI    THE CATTLE WAR                           156

    XII    MOUNTAIN LAW                             173

   XIII    WELCOME HOME                             183

    XIV    THE KANGAROO COURT                       196

     XV    THE REVOLUTION IN FACT                   216

    XVI    BACK TO NATURE                           238

   XVII    THE POWER OF THE PRESS                   255

  XVIII    THE LAW'S DELAY                          278

    XIX    THE LAST CHANCE                          295

     XX    THE LAW AND THE EVIDENCE                 318

    XXI    NEVER AGAIN                              355




ILLUSTRATIONS


                                                   PAGE

  The calf was like its mother, but she, on
      account of her brand and ear-marks, held
      the entire attention of the Texan  _Frontispiece_

  Pecos's ever-ready pistol was out and balanced
    in his hand                                      56

  As the rout went by Angy saw Pecos, tied to his
    horse, his arms bound tight to his sides        188

  "You _will_ turn this jail into a hog-waller,
    will you?" he demanded                          250

  She laid a brown hand against the bars as if in
    protest and motioned him nearer the screen      312




THE TEXICAN




CHAPTER I

VERDE CROSSING


The languid quiet of midday lay upon the little road-house that stood
guard by Verde Crossing. Old Crit and his wild Texas cowboys had left
the corral at dawn, riding out mysteriously with their running irons in
their chaps; the dogs had crawled under José Garcia's house and gone
to sleep; to the north the Tonto trail stretched away vacant and only
the brawling of the Verde as it rushed over the rocky ford suggested
the savage struggle that was going on in the