w the wagon bridge, where the pines grew black and ragged--a
touch of the primordial in the midst of a younger growth. It was noon; a
time when the plainsman knew he would find the wood-cutter at leisure,
taking his midday meal, or lazing over a pipe. Nor were his calculations
far out.

Nevil was stretched full length beside the smouldering embers on which his
coffee billytin was steaming out fragrant odors that blended pleasantly
with the resinous fragrance of these ancient woods.

He looked up at the sound of horse's hoofs, and there could be no doubt
about the unfriendliness of his expression when he recognized his visitor.
He dropped back again into his lounging attitude at once, and his action
was itself one of studied discourtesy.

Seth did not appear to notice anything. He surveyed the clearing with a
certain appreciation. The vast timbers he beheld seemed of much more
consequence to him than the man who lived by their destruction. However,
he rode straight over to the fire and dismounted.

"Howdy?" he said, while he loosened the cinches of his saddle.

"What's brought you around?" asked Nevil, ungraciously enough.

Seth turned toward the trees about him.

"Pretty tidy patch," he observed. "We're wantin' big timbers up at the
farm. Mebbe you'd notion a contrac'?"

Nevil had noted the loosening of the cinches. He laughed shortly.

"I'm not taking contracts, thanks. But I'll sell you wood which I cut at
my pleasure."

"Cord-wood?" Seth shook his head. "Guess we want timbers. Kind o' buildin'
a corral around the farm."

"Making a fort of it?"

Nevil's blue eyes followed the upward curling wreath of smoke which
dawdled on the still air above the fire.

"Yup."

"Fancy the Injuns are on the racket?"

"Wal, 'tain't what they're doin' now. But ther' ain't no tellin', an'
we're slack since the harvest. I 'lows the notion's tol'ble. Mebbe they'll
be quiet some--now Rosebud's gone."

There was a quiet emphasis on Seth's final speculation.

"I heard she'd gone away for a bit."

Nevil looked searchingly at this man whom he hated above all men.

"Gone for good," Seth said, with an admirable air of indifference.

"How?"

Nevil suddenly sat up. Seth noted the fact without even glancing in his
direction.

"Wal, y' see she's got folks in England. And ther' is a heap o' dollars;
an almighty heap. I reckon she'd be a millionairess in this country. Guess
it takes a mighty heap o' bills to reckon a million