12. Cattle Rustler
Under cover of moonlight, cattle rustlers slipped onto open ranges with rope and grit, corralling herds thought secure behind fences. They branded cattle with stolen irons, muffling lowing beasts beneath pine boughs to evade dawn patrols. Their biggest hazards? Posse raids at sunrise, ambushes by rival gangs, and lynching at the end of a noose if justice caught up. Few outlaws survived the long, perilous drive.
