The Night Riders A Romance of Early Montana   By: Ridgwell Cullum (1867-1943)

A Romance of Early Montana

By

RIDGWELL CULLUM

Author of "The Watchers of the Plains," "The Sheriff of Dyke Hole," "The Trail of the Axe," "The One Way Trail," etc.

PHILADELPHIA GEORGE W. JACOBS & COMPANY PUBLISHERS

Copyright, 1913, by

GEORGE W. JACOBS & COMPANY

Published February, 1913

All rights reserved Printed in U. S. A.

[Illustration: He took her in his powerful arms and drew her to his breast]

Contents

I. IN THE HANDS OF THE PHILISTINES 9

II. MOSQUITO BEND 26

III. THE BLIND MAN 46

IV. THE NIGHT RIDERS 68

V. TRESLER BEGINS HIS EDUCATION 82

VI. THE KILLING OF MANSON ORR 104

VII. WHICH DEALS WITH THE MATTER OF DRINK 127

VIII. JOE NELSON INDULGES IN A LITTLE MATCH MAKING 141

IX. TRESLER INVOLVES HIMSELF FURTHER; THE LADY JEZEBEL IN A FREAKISH MOOD 157

X. A WILD RIDE 177

XI. THE TRAIL OF THE NIGHT RIDERS 192

XII. THE RISING OF A SUMMER STORM 213

XIII. THE BEARDING OF JAKE 232

XIV. A PORTENTOUS INTERVIEW 248

XV. AT WILLOW BLUFF 263

XVI. WHAT LOVE WILL DO 285

XVII. THE LIGHTED LAMP 301

XVIII. THE RENUNCIATION 315

XIX. HOT UPON THE TRAIL 332

XX. BY THE LIGHT OF THE LAMP 349

XXI. AT WIDOW DANGLEY'S 364

XXII. THE PURSUIT OF RED MASK 381

XXIII. A RETURN TO THE LAND OF THE PHILISTINES 395

XXIV. ARIZONA 412

Illustrations

He Took Her in His Powerful Arms and Drew Her to His Breast Frontispiece

A Moment Later He Beheld Two Horsemen Facing page 74

Left Alone with her Patient, She had Little to Do but Reflect Facing page 302

The Night Riders

CHAPTER I

IN THE HANDS OF THE PHILISTINES

Forks Settlement no longer occupies its place upon the ordnance map of the state of Montana. At least not the Forks Settlement the one which nestled in a hollow on the plains, beneath the shadow of the Rocky Mountains. It is curious how these little places do contrive to slip off the map in the course of time. There is no doubt but that they do, and are wholly forgotten, except, perhaps, by those who actually lived or visited there. It is this way with all growing countries, and anywhere from twenty to thirty years ago Montana was distinctly a new country.

It was about '85 that Forks Settlement enjoyed the height of its prosperity a prosperity based on the supply of dry goods and machinery to a widely scattered and sparse population of small ranchers and farmers. These things brought it into existence and kept it afloat for some years. Then it gradually faded from existence just as such places do.

When John Tresler rode into Forks he wondered what rural retreat he had chanced upon. He didn't wonder in those words, his language was much more derogatory to the place than that.