Arizona Nights

The ring around the sun had thickened all day long, and the turquoise blue of the Arizona skyhad filmed. Storms in the dry countries are infrequent, but heavy; and this surely meant storm. We had ridden since sun-up over broad mesas, down and out of deep canons, along the baseof the mountain in the wildest parts of the territory. The cattle were winding leisurely toward thehigh country; the jack rabbits had disappeared; the quail lacked; we did not see a single antelopein the open."It's a case of hole up," the Cattleman ventured his opinion. "I have a ranch over in theDouble R. Charley and Windy Bill hold it down. We'll tackle it. What do you think?"The four cowboys agreed. We dropped into a low, broad watercourse, ascended its bed to bigcottonwoods and flowing water, followed it into box canons between rim-rock carvedfantastically and painted like a Moorish facade, until at last in a widening below a rounded hill, we came upon an adobe house, a fruit tree, and a round corral. This was the Double R. Charley and Windy Bill welcomed us with soda biscuits. We turned our horses out, spreadour beds on the floor, filled our pipes, and squatted on our heels. Various dogs of various breedsinvestigated us. It was very pleasant, and we did not mind the ring around the sun."Somebody else coming," announced the Cattleman finally."Uncle Jim," said Charley, after a glance