ay had in fact run into Laramie in the lumber yard. With
nothing more than a greeting, he opened his mind: "I want a talk with
you, Jim," he said bluntly. "Where's Kate?"

Not even the freedom of the bar fully established could hold McAlpin
after he had seen Laramie and Doubleday walk out of the lumber yard and
start down Main Street together. McAlpin had the reputation of having
missed no important shooting in Sleepy Cat for years. He had been
witness in more than one inquest and did not mean to imperil his
importance by slacking now. As he hastened out to trail the long-day
bitter enemies, he was framing in his mind the preliminary answers for
the coroner. He would be compelled to testify, he felt, that the dead
man had showed no sign of intoxication or excitement when he drove his
team into the barn--for in the circumstances, the barn boss already
figured Barb as the inevitable victim.

Thus ruminating, he trailed the unsuspecting pair as far as Belle's.
At Belle's without sign of heated argument, they knocked and entered
the cottage together. This left McAlpin across the street with nobody
but the butcher to talk to, while he listened intently for the first
shot.

Lefever was bolder. He followed the two men unceremoniously to Belle's
porch and bluffed Belle herself into admitting him to the living room.
Laramie had gone into the back part of the house to hunt up Kate; Barb,
alone, sat in the rocking chair, chewing an unlighted cigar.

Lefever greeted the big cattleman effusively; Barb's response was cold.
He looked Lefever over critically: "What'you doing?" he asked, without
warm interest in any possible answer.

"Buying a relinquishment now and again, Barb."

"Railroad man, eh?" muttered Barb, irrelevantly.

"No, no. I've quit that game; I've got a claim up near you. I'm going
to try to live the life of a small but dishonest rancher, Barb."

"You ought to do well at that, eh?"

"Why, yes and no. But I'm thinking, if I can't figure out the game,
some of my neighbors can help me catch on--what?"

Barb's retort--if he had one--to Lefever's continued laugh, was cut off
by Laramie's entrance with Kate. John saw that he was _de trop_, that
it was a family conference, and only extracting from Laramie a promise
to see him--about nothing whatever--before leaving town he made what he
termed a graceful getaway. Kate and Laramie faced her father. Belle,
too, was for going out. Doubleday stopped her: "