IRONHEART IRONHEART BY WILLIAM MACLEOD RAINE AUTHOR OF MAN-SIZE, TANGLED TRAILS, THE FIGHTING EDGE, ETC. [Illustration] GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS NEW YORK Made in the United States of America COPYRIGHT, 1922, BY THE CURTIS PUBLISHING COMPANY COPYRIGHT, 1923, BY WILLIAM MACLEOD RAINE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. TO ARTHUR CHAPMAN “But somehow when he’s gone, you think a heap About his virtues--how he’s square and true; If more come stringin’ in they’d make it cheap-- This friendship thing--and spoil it all for you.” CONTENTS I. TURFING IT 3 II. “DE KING O’ PROOSHIA ON DE JOB” 8 III. ONE OF THE LOST LEGION 15 IV. BETTY RIDES 19 V. TUG IS “COLLECTED” 31 VI. “NOTHING BUT A GAY-CAT ANYHOW” 35 VII. TUG SAYS, “NO, THANK YOU” 43 VIII. A RIFT IN THE LUTE 48 IX. UNDER FIRE 55 X. “ONE SQUARE GUY” 65 XI. MR. NE’ER-DO-WELL 72 XII. “IS THIS BIRD A PRISONER, OR AIN’T HE?” 80 XIII. A JOB 85 XIV. ONE BAD HOMBRE MEETS ANOTHER 89 XV. THE HOMESTEADER SERVES NOTICE 98 XVI. THE STAMPEDE 105 XVII. HIS PICTURE IN THE PAPER 111 XVIII. A HOT TRAIL 116 XIX. CAPTAIN THURSTON K. HOLLISTER 122 XX. A CLASH 130 XXI. IRREFUTABLE LOGIC 142 XXII. A STERN CHASE 147 XXIII. OUT OF THE BLIZZARD 157 XXIV. “COME ON, YOU DAMN BUSHWHACKER” 166 XXV. A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION 174 XXVI. BLACK IS SURPRISED 182 XXVII. THE MAN WITH THE BLEACHED BLUE EYES 189 XXVIII. BETTY HAS HER OWN WAY 196 XXIX. A CHILD OF IMPULSE 202 XXX. FATHOMS DEEP 209 XXXI. BETTY MAKES A DISCOVERY 214 XXXII. WITHOUT RHYME OR REASON 224 XXXIII. THE BLUEBIRD ALIGHTS AND THEN TAKES WING 230 XXXIV. BORN THAT WAY 237 XXXV. BIRDS OF A FEATHER 246 XXXVI. A STORMY SEA 252 XXXVII. HOLD THE FORT 262