et a man. I'd bring in my own brother if he was wanted.
That's why the Texas Rangers stack up so high. They play no favorites
an' they let no prisoners escape. You're askin' me to throw down Cap
Ellison who trusts me, the State that pays me, the boys on the force
that pal with me, an' my loyalty to the people. You want me to do it
because I've got a personal reason to wish Dinsmore to get away. If I
don't take him in to town I'm a traitor. That's the long an' the short
of it."

"Hell's blazes!" broke in the cattleman. "I thought you was a man an'
not a machine. You want to marry my li'l' girl, but you're not willin'
to do a favor to the man who has just saved her from a hundred horrible
deaths. Haven't you any guts in you a-tall?"

The muscles stood out on the lean, set face of the Ranger like rawhide
ropes. "I can't lie down on my job. Ramona wouldn't ask it of me. I've
got to go through. That's what I'm paid for."

"She's askin' it right now. Through me."

"Then she doesn't understand what she's askin'. Let me talk with her.
Let me explain--"

"We don't want any of yore damned explanations," interrupted Wadley
roughly. "Talk turkey. Will you or won't you? Me, I ain't plumb crazy
about law. It's justice I want done. I'll be doggoned if I'm goin' to
stand by an' let any harm come to Dinsmore--not this here year of our
Lord."

"I'll do all I can for him--"

"Except that you're bound an' determined to see him hanged. You sure
beat my time. I'd think you would be right anxious to tell him to cut
his stick--kinda slide out inconspicuous when we ain't watchin'. Be
reasonable, Roberts. That's all I ask. I want to be yore friend if
you'll let me. My bank's behind you to back any business proposition you
want to start. Or that job I offered you before is open to you. After a
little we can fix up some kind of a partnership."

The dark color burned under the tan of the Ranger's face. His lips were
like a steel trap, and in his eyes there was a cold glitter. "It doesn't
get you anywhere to talk that-a-way to me, Mr. Wadley. I'd want to marry
Miss Ramona just the same if she was the poorest girl in the Panhandle.
Offer me a deed to the A T O an' it wouldn't make any difference to me.
I'm not goin' to turn Dinsmore loose because it's to my advantage."

"Don't get on the prod, young fellow. I wasn't tryin' to bribe you. I
was showin' you how I felt. But you're so damned high-headed a plain man
can't talk sense to you." The