the end in view. This
crowd was mounted, armed to the teeth, and all was ready. Secrecy was
enjoined on every one. Led by the sheriff and his deputy, they rode
out about midnight to the pasture and found the herd and herders.

"What do you fellows want here?" demanded young Gray, as Ninde and his
posse rode up.

"We want these horses," answered the sheriff.

"On what authority?" demanded Gray.

"This is sufficient authority for you," said the sheriff, flashing
a six-shooter in young Gray's face. All the heelers to the play now
jumped their horses forward, holding their six-shooters over their
heads, ratcheting the cylinders of their revolvers by cocking and
lowering the hammers, as if nothing but a fight would satisfy their
demand for gore.

"If you want these horses that bad," said young Gray, "I reckon you
can get them for the present. But I want to tell you one thing--there
are sixty head of horses here under herd with ours, outside the
'96' brand. They belong to men in town. If you take them out of this
pasture to-night, they might consider you a horse-thief and deal with
you accordingly. You know you are doing this by force of arms. You
have no more authority here than any other man, except what men and
guns give you. Good-night, sir, I may see you by daylight."

Calling off his men, they let little grass grow under their feet as
they rode to town. The young man roused his father and uncle, who in
turn went out and asked their friends to come to their assistance.
Together with the owners of the sixty head, by daybreak they had
eighteen mounted and armed men.

The sheriff paid no attention to the advice of young Gray, but when
day broke he saw that he had more horses than he wanted, as there was
a brand or two there he had no claim on, just or unjust, and they must
be cut out or trouble would follow. One of the men with Ninde knew of
a corral where this work could be done, and to this corral, which was
at least fifteen miles from the town where the rescue party of Gray
had departed at daybreak, they started. The pursuing posse soon took
the trail of the horses from where they left the pasture, and as they
headed back toward Texas, it was feared it might take a long, hard
ride to overtake them. The gait was now increased to the gallop, not
fast, probably covering ten miles an hour, which was considered better
time than the herd could make under any circumstances.

After an hour's hard riding, it was eviden