were

When they were closer and he saw that one was a woman, he was more puzzled than ever.

His visitors had crawled through the south fence and were crossing the meadow, angling toward the house.

Now he saw that both the man and woman were moving slowly and irregularly, staggering, as if they found it a struggle to remain on their feet.

They crawled through the north fence and came on toward him, and now he saw that both were young, not more than nineteen or twenty.

They were dirty, their clothes were torn, and the girl was so exhausted that she fell when she was still twenty feet from the front door.

Her eyes were glazed as if she didn't hear or even see him.

Her blond hair was frowzy, her dress torn in several places, and her shoes were so completely worn out that they were practically no protection.

They were running from something.

When they were finally satisfied, Jones said, `` I think he's going to give us work ''.

I just can't take any chances on getting her pregnant, and if we were sleeping together ''

They were a pair of lost, whipped kids, Morgan thought as he went to bed.

They passed ranches that were framed dark gray against the black hills.

The men in Pettigrew's were tired from a night's drinking, their faces red and baggy.

First he thought of the time he had ridden to Gavin and told him how his cattle were being rustled at the far end of the valley.

Purvis and Silas Pettigrew were the last to leave.

The wind of their running was cold and wild, the horses were lathered and their manes streamed like stiff black pennants in the wind.

Now they were riding to kill him.

About a dozen animals were held inside the stockade, as best Mike could make out in the moonlight.

`` The way you were careful ''??

They were tethered, army style, on stable lines.

The explosion of the rifle had crashed against the walls of the stockade and the deep echoes were still rolling in the hills.

The guerrillas were swarming from their bivouac at the west end of the enclosure.

The guerrillas were running across the parade ground and through the rear gate in the wake of the departing horses.