but

The easiest thing would be to sell out to Al Budd and leave the country, but there was a stubborn streak in him that wouldn't allow it.

He stopped every few minutes and leaned on his shovel as he studied the horizon, but nothing happened, each day dragging out with monotonous calm.

He had seen a few nester wagons go through the country, the families almost starving to death, but he had never seen any of them on foot and as bad off as these two.

`` We've been looking for work, but all the ranchers have turned us down ''.

He was silent a moment, thinking he could use a man this time of year, and if the girl could cook, it would give him more time in the meadows, but he knew nothing about the couple.

He'd be an idiot to let them stay he thought, but he couldn't send them on, either.

`` I could use some help '', Morgan said finally, `` but I can't afford to pay you anything.

`` I've been mucking in a mine in the San Juan, but I used to work on a ranch.

I'm usually a very strong woman, but I'm awfully tired ''.

It's not much of a meal, but it's what I eat ''.

The bed isn't made, but you'll find plenty of blankets there ''.

He stopped, embarrassed, and Morgan said, `` I understand that, but I don't savvy why you'd go off and leave your jobs in the first place ''.

Just a half-breed 'pache, never said much, never meant anythin to me, but he stuck with me.

I saw you driftin away -- but I tried.

There was no one but me.

In vain his mind groped to reassemble the bones of the relationships he had sought so desperately, but they would not come to life.

`` The main bunch is outside, but there are some over there inside the wall ''.

There's bound to be someone on guard, but the hat might fool them long enough for me to get close ''.

`` No, but the fat's in the fire ''!!

Dean still hesitated, but Mike lifted him almost bodily into the saddle and thrust the reins in his hand.

All were carrying guns they had seized up, but they were half-clad or hardly clad at all.

A man was standing in the open door of the lighted orderly room a few yards to Mike's left, but he, too, suddenly made up his mind and went racing to join the confused activity at the east end of the stockade.

Its force spun him around, but he recovered and got into stride again.

The iron hinges held, but the planks were in danger of being torn from the crossbars.

He started to run but Oso's shot caught him on the wing.