Norton was to post
two men a few miles out as he rode north and they were to report back
to Struve in case of necessity.
These latter plans were made only at the moment before the sheriff's
departure. A man sent by Brocky Lane had raced into San Juan's street,
bringing fresh word. It began to appear that Galloway was working in
conjunction with aid from below the border. Del Rio with a score of
men, Mexicans for the most part who had dribbled into the county during
the last few months, was reported to have swept down upon John Engle's
ranches, and to be gathering herds of cattle and horses, starting them
southward on the run. Three of Engle's cowboys had been shot down; a
similar attack had been delivered upon other ranches. The little town
of Las Vegas had been looted, post-office, store, and saloon safes
dynamited, stock driven off to augment del Rio's other herds. Further,
the cowboy sent by Lane reported that a signal-fire had been lighted in
the mountains an hour ago and that there had been another fire like an
answer leaping up from the desert in the south. Word had also come to
Lane that telephone messages hinted that Kid Rickard and his unit were
working further outlawry along the county line, headed toward Mt.
Temple.
There were seventeen armed horsemen in the street waiting for the word
from Norton.
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