Chapter V.

           Jack-rabbitswereapestthatyearandPresleyoccasionallyfoundamusementinhuntingthemwithHarran’shalf-dozengreyhounds,followingthechaseonhorseback.Oneday,betweentwoandthreemonthsafterLymansvisittoLosMuertos,ashewasreturningtowardtheranchhousefromadistantandlonelyquarterofLosMuertos,hecameunexpectedlyuponastrangesight.

           Sometwentymen,Annixter’sandOsterman’stenants,andsmallranchersfromeastofGuadalajara—allmembersoftheLeague—weregoingthroughthemanualofarmsunderHarranDerrick’ssupervision.TheywereallequippedwithnewWinchesterrifles.Harrancarriedoneofthesehimselfandwithitheillustratedthevariouscommandshegave.Assoonasoneofthemenunderhissupervisionbecamemorethanusuallyproficient,hewastoldofftoinstructafileofthemorebackward.Afterthemanualofarms,Harrangavethecommandtotakedistanceasskirmishers,andwhenthelinehadopenedoutsothatsomehalf-dozenfeetintervenedbetweeneachman,anadvancewasmadeacrossthefield,themenstoopinglowandsnappingthehammersoftheirriflesatanimaginaryenemy.

           TheLeaguehaditsagentsinSanFrancisco,whowatchedthemovementsoftheRailroadascloselyaswaspossible,andsometimebeforethis,AnnixterhadreceivedwordthattheMarshalandhisdeputieswerecomingdowntoBonnevilletoputthedummybuyersofhisranchinpossession.