d it later on Henderson's face.

"We got to get the boys together and talk this thing over," the feed and
fuel owner said.

"What's up?"

"This stuff that's missin'."

Jerry gave a start. He had just spent at least half an hour looking for
this garage lock.

"Every day of this week," Henderson went on heavily, "I've had people in
to replace some little thing that was lost. Hatchets and feeding troughs
and spare parts and panes of glass and things like that. A couple of old
chicken brooders that was stored. Ten salt blocks Anderson had in his
barn."

Just then MacAllister stepped over from his drugstore to join them.
"Dammit," he said plaintively, dusting off his store jacket, "I been in
the basement the last hour looking for an old pipe wrench. I swear I
left it there!"

Jerry met Henderson's glance. "All right," he said. "Let's get the gang
together for lunch today."

Sheriff Watson joined them in the back room of the restaurant. When the
coffee came Jerry rose to explain the purpose of the meeting. "Our
problem," he began, "may amount to nothing at all. Or it could turn out
to be mighty nasty. Hen and I thought it was time to talk it over."

Briefly he recapitulated Dark Valley's reawakening. He described Joe
Merklos and his people--their odd clothing, their independence, their
alien language.

"Point one," he said, "most people don't like strangers."

He described the tribe's arrival without cars or wagons, without even a
mark on the abandoned road. He spoke of the pumps that came to life, the
river that now ran again. The progress the tribe had made seemed almost
beyond human capacity.

"Point two," Jerry said, "most people don't like mysteries." He turned.
"Okay, Hen."

First Henderson explained that none of the tribe had bought supplies of
any kind in Wide Bend. He got corroboration from other businessmen
present. Then, as he summarized the missing articles, heads began to
nod. Faces got red and lists were clenched. Jerry got to his feet again.
"Point three, I don't need to spell out. Much more of this and carloads
of men with guns will be heading for the ridge. There'll be the kind of
trouble we don't want on Wide Bend's conscience."

"Should we let 'em rob us blind?" shouted Tipton.

"No wonder they do so good!" Caruso cried.

"How about the water?" Hammond asked sarcastically. "You think they
stole that, too?"

Someone shouted back, and a heated discussion raged. Jerry finally
banged on