out in the open
somewhere and let 'em come! Because why? Because the only law that a
man's got in this country is hisself--and if he's right, why, crossin'
over with his gun explainin' his idees ain't the worst way to go.
Anyhow, it ain't any worse than gettin' throwed from a bronc and
gettin' his neck broke or gettin' stomped out in a stampede. Them's
just regular, common ways of goin' out. I just wonder how Pete is
makin' it?"

Andy put on his hat, glanced at the sun, and strode to his pony. Far
across the eastern desert he saw the posse--a mere moving dot against
the blue. "Wolf-hungry to make a killin' because they're foolin'
themselves that they're actin' out the law! Well, come on, Chico, old
hoss, we got to make home before sundown."

CHAPTER XIX

THE SPIDER

Where the old Ranger Trail, crossing the Blue Mesa, leaves the high
mesa and meanders off into the desert, there is a fork which leads
southwest, to the Apache country--a grim and waterless land--and
finally swings south toward the border. Pete dismounted at this fork,
pulled up his slackened cinches, and making certain that he was leaving
a plain track, rode down the main trail for half a mile. Then he
reined his pony to a bare spot on the grass-dotted tufa, and again
dismounted. He looped Blue Smoke's fore feet, then threw him, and
pulled his shoes with a pair of wire nippers, and stowed the shoes in
his saddle-pockets.

He again rode directly down the trail, surmising that the occasional
track of a barefoot horse would appear natural enough should the posse,
whom he knew would follow him, split up and ride both trails. Farther
on he again swung from the trail to the tufa, never slackening pace,
and rode across the broken ground for several miles. He had often seen
the unshod and unbranded ponies of the high country run along a trail
for a mile or so and then dash off across the open. Of course, if the
posse took the direct trail to the border, paying no attention to
tracks, they would eventually overtake him. Pete was done with the
companionship of men who allowed the wanton killing of a man like
Annersley to go unpunished. He knew that if he were caught, he would
most probably be hanged or imprisoned for the shooting of Gary--if he
were not killed in being taken. The T-Bar-T interests ruled the
courts. Moreover, his reputation was against him. Ever since the raid
on Annersley's place Pete had been pointed out as the "kid w