had
preceded him had watched him from in front of the Wolf; and half a dozen
lean-faced, rugged, and prosperous-looking men had watched him from the
lounging-room of the Willets Hotel.

The men in the lounging-room were watching Lawler now, as he walked
toward the building, for they seemed to divine that he would enter.

When Lawler stepped over the threshold his lips were set in stern,
serious lines and his brows were drawn together in a frown. For his
thoughts were dwelling upon the sinister power that threatened to create
confusion in the section.

He did not see the men in the lounging-room until he had taken several
steps toward the desk; and then he glanced carelessly toward them.
Instantly his eyes glowed with recognition; he walked toward them.

"Howdy, Lawler," greeted one, extending a hand. And, "howdy," was the
word that passed the lips of the others as Lawler shook hands with them.
He called them all by name; but it was to the first man that he spoke,
after the amenities had been concluded.

"I heard you were in town, Caldwell," he said.

Caldwell--a big man with a black beard, probing, intelligent eyes, and
an aggressive chin, grinned grimly.

"Gary Warden tell you?" he asked.

"No. Warden didn't mention you."

"Then it was Jay Simmons. You ain't been anywhere else."

"How do you know?"

Caldwell exchanged glances with his companions. "I reckon we've been
watchin' you, Lawler. We seen you ride into town on Red King, an' we
seen you go over to the station from Warden's office."

"Watching me?" queried Lawler; "what for?"

"Wall, I reckon we wanted to see how you took it."

"Took what?"

"What Warden an' Simmons had to say to you. We got ours--me yesterday;
Barthman an' Littlefield this mornin'; an' Corts, Sigmund, an' Lester
the day before yesterday. I reckon the whole section will get it before
long. Looks like they're tryin' to squeeze us. How many steers did you
sell to Warden at twenty-five?"

Lawler grinned.

"An' Simmons?" said Caldwell, gleefully.

"No cars."

"Seems Simmons ain't makin' no exceptions. We've all heard the same
story. We knowed you'd be in, an' we sort of waited around, wonderin'
what you'd do about it. We didn't bring no cattle over, for we hadn't
made no arrangement with Jim Lefingwell--like you done--an' we didn't
want to stampede Warden."

Lawler told them what had occurred in his interview with Warden.

"I reckon Warden's the liar, all right," declared