ttracting attention by the quality of his administration.

But it seemed that more than a month had passed since Lawler had gone
to the capital. The days dragged and the weeks seemed to be aeons long.
And yet the dull monotony of the girl's life was relieved by trips she
made to the Circle L, to visit Lawler's mother--and by the presence of
Mary Lawler, who had come home for her vacation, during the summer, and
during Lawler's absence on his speaking tour.

Ruth had heard with satisfaction that the Circle L trail herd, attended
by Blackburn, Shorty, and other Circle L men, had not been molested on
the trip to Red Rock. Caldwell and the others had driven their cattle to
Red Rock also--not one of them visiting Warden to arrange for cars.
Lawler's influence, and the spirit he had revealed in undertaking the
long drive the previous season, had had its effect upon the other
owners.

It seemed to Ruth that the fight between the Circle L men and the
rustlers had made the latter cautious; and that even Warden had decided
that discretion was necessary. At any rate, the surface of life in
Willets and the surrounding country had become smooth, no matter what
forces were at work in the depths. It appeared that the men who had
fought Lawler in the past, were now careful to do nothing that would
bring upon them a demonstration of his new power.

* * * * *

Gary Warden, however, was not fearful of Lawler's official power. In
fact, he was openly contemptuous when Lawler's name was mentioned in his
presence. Face to face with Lawler, he was afflicted with an emotion
that was akin to fear, though with it was mingled the passionate hatred
he had always felt for the man.

While Lawler had been at the Circle L he had fought him secretly, with
motives that arose from a determination to control the cattle industry.
Warden had had behind him the secret power of the state government and
the clandestine cooperation of the railroad company. His fight against
Lawler had been in the nature of business, in which the advantage had
been all on his side.

Now, however, intense personal feeling dominated Warden. Lawler had
beaten him, so far, and the knowledge intensified his rage against his
conqueror. The railroad company's corral had yawned emptily during the
entire fall season. Not a hoof had been shipped through Willets. All the
cattlemen of the district had driven their stock to Red Rock. And Warden
no longer