E-text prepared by Al Haines Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 23242-h.htm or 23242-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/3/2/4/23242/23242-h/23242-h.htm) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/3/2/4/23242/23242-h.zip) LARAMIE HOLDS THE RANGE by FRANK H. SPEARMAN Illustrated by James Reynolds [Frontispiece: "Hold on, Doubleday," Laramie said bluntly, . . . "You'll hear what I've got to say"] New York Charles Scribner's Sons 1921 Copyright, 1921, by Charles Scribner's Sons Published August, 1921 Reprinted September, 1921 Copyright, 1921, by Frank H. Spearman TO MY SON FRANK HAMILTON SPEARMAN, JR. CONTENTS CHAPTER I SLEEPY CAT II THE CRAZY WOMAN III DOUBLEDAY'S IV AT THE EATING HOUSE V CROSS PURPOSES VI WHICH WINS? VII THE CLOSE OF THE DAY VIII THE HOME OF LARAMIE IX AT THE BAR X LARAMIE COUNTS FIVE XI A DUEL WITH KATE XII THE BARBECUE XIII AGAINST HIS RECORD XIV LEFEVER ASKS QUESTIONS XV THE RAID OF THE FALLING WALL XVI THE GO-DEVIL XVII VAN HORN TRAILS HAWK XVIII HAWK QUARRELS WITH LARAMIE XIX LEFEVER RECEIVES THE RAIDERS XX THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE XXI THE HIDING PLACE XXII STONE TRIES HIS HAND XXIII KATE RIDES XXIV NIGHT AND A HEADER XXV A GUEST FOR AN HOUR XXVI THE CRAZY WOMAN WINS XXVII KATE DEFIES XXVIII A DIFFICULT RESOLVE XXIX HORSEHEAD PASS XXX THE FUNERAL AND AFTER XXXI AN ENCOUNTER XXXII A MESSAGE FROM TENISON XXXIII THE CANYON OF THE FALLING WALL XXXIV KATE GETS A SHOCK XXXV AT KITCHEN'S BARN XXXVI MCALPIN AT BAY XXXVII KATE BURNS THE STEAK XXXVIII THE UNEXPECTED CALL XXXIX BARB MAKES A SURPRISING ALLIANCE XL BRADLEY RIDES HARD XLI THE FLIGHT OF THE SWALLOWS XLII WARNING XLIII THE LAST CALL XLIV TENISON SERVES BREAKFAST ILLUSTRATIONS "Hold on, Doubleday," Laramie said bluntly, . . . "You'll hear what I've got to say" . . . . . . _Frontispiece_ "And I thought I knew every drop of water in this country" Knocked forward the next instant in his saddle, Laramie drooped over his pommel "No," said a man . . . as he pushed forward . . . "He's not going to drink!" LARAMIE HOLDS THE RANGE CHAPTER I SLEEPY CAT All day the heavy train of sleepers had been climbing the long rise from the river--a monotonous stretch of treeless, short-grass plains reaching from the Missouri to the mountains. And now the train stopped again, almost noiselessly. Kate, with the impatience of girlish spirits tried by a long and tedious car journey, left her Pullman window and its continuous, one-tone picture, and walking forward was glad to find the vestibule open. The porter, meditating alone, stood below, at the car step, looking ahead; Kate joined him.