be punished, not by us folk, not for what you done to Jeff. But
Someone guesses you got to be punished, and this is the way He's fixed
it. Say, Evie, you won't let go of things, will you? Maybe you can't
see ahead just now. But you will--later. You love Jeff, and he just
loves you, though he's sort of blind to it now. But he loves you, an' no
one else. He wouldn't act the way he's doing if it weren't so. I sort
of felt I must say all this to you. I--I don't know why--just. But I
won't ever talk like this again. I haven't a right, I know. But I don't
mean harm. I don't sure. And if you'll let me help you anyway I can
I'll--be real glad."

CHAPTER XXII

THREATENINGS

The offer of reward for the rustlers operating in Rainbow Hill Valley
was without the desired effect. It was worse. The men against whom it
was directed received it with deliberate but secretly expressed
contempt. Nor did Chance serve the masters of the Obar, as four years
before She had served Dug McFarlane.

Nor was the failure due to lack of effort. Bud left no stone unturned.
And Jeff--well, Jeff did all a man could. The hills were scoured, and
the deeps and hidden hollows of the greater foothills. The notices of
reward were sent broadcast, even penetrating to the Orrville country.
They were set up as Jeff had promised, on tree trunks in the remoter
hills where any chance eye might discover them. Where undoubtedly the
men who constituted the gang must sooner or later discover them.

The only response was a continuation of the raids.

But a distinct change had taken place in the method of these. Whereas,
originally, they had been directed against not only the Obar Ranch, but
wherever opportunity offered in the district, they now fastened their
vampire clutches upon the Obar only, and, finally, on only one section
of its territory: the land which belonged to Jeff's side of the
partnership.

So marked was this that it could not be missed.

The partners were out at a distant station where they had been urgently
summoned. A young "hand" had been wounded, a nasty flesh wound in the
arm. He had been bringing in a small bunch of steers which had strayed
to a distant hollow in the hills. It had been overnight. He was held
up, and shot by three outlaws, and his cattle run off.

It was Bud who voiced the thought of both partners immediately after a
close interrogation of the injured man.

"Looks like some low-bred son-of-a