Sunset Ranch: A Story of a Boy's Adventures in the West — page 45: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Wild Life on the Ranch. 39 of the border and had learned to regret their weak points even while ardently admiring their many ad- mirable qualities. “T reckon it means danger,” said Karl, quietly. The other immediately ran the gamut of such perils as might threaten a prairie cattle ranch—cy- clone, fire, an Indian foray, the presence of white outlaws or “bad men’’—which of these could it be, he wondered? (Once mounted, the two boys galloped toward the house, near which all hands had begun to gather in anticipation of the courier’s arrival. “It’s Old Sile,” said Karl, as they rode. Now Cuthbert had heard his friend speak so often of this sagacious and veteran rider of the cattle ranges that he felt a genuine thrill of pleasure at the prospect of meeting one who had led such a check- ered career, and to whom all the cow punchers of the whole region looked up to as a man from whom the best of them might on occasions secure points. The cowboy was a man well along in years, whose gaunt frame and iron jaws spoke of indomitable energy—otherwise he did not differ to any extent from the rest of the gang. Cuthbert saw that he was a born leader, and pos- sessed the confidence of the men, some of whom undoubtedly had been with him in wild forays of the past when the cattle stampeded in an electric storm, or the marauding Indians had to be pursued in order to rescue the stolen herds. Yes, they knew Old Sile, and were ready to follow his lead anywhere. Mr. Kelly hastened to meet him with some anx- iety on his face, for he had more than one valuable bunch of cattle feeding on the range, which must excite the cupidity of prowling bands of dusky thieves. “What’s in the wind?” he asked—such men do CoOMmicaoo \ CS (©