ightily what it was all about If they only knew, he
thought, there would be more than one rope ready for Harry Conroy.

"How about the Peck reservation? Couldn't you get them on there?" Rowdy
ventured.

"Not a hoof!" growled Eagle Creek, with his chin sunk against his chest.
"There's thirty thousand Valley County cattle on there now." He looked
down at the cattle, as Pink had done. "God! It's bad enough t' go
broke," he groaned; "but t' think uh them poor brutes dyin' off in
bunches, for want uh grass an' water! I've run that brand fer over
thirty year."

CHAPTER 11. Rowdy Promoted.

Rowdy rode closer. "If you don't mind paying duty," he began
tentatively, "I can put you next to a range over the line, where I'll
guarantee feed and water the year round for every hoof you own."

Eagle Creek lifted his head and looked at him "Whereabouts?" he demanded
skeptically.

"Up in the Red Deer country. Pink knows the place. There's range
a-plenty, and creeks running through that never go dry; and the country
isn't stocked and fenced to death, like this is."

"And would we be ordered off soon as we got there?"

"Sure not--if you paid duty, which would only be about double what you
were going to pay for one year's pasture."

Eagle Creek breathed deeply, like a man who has narrowly escaped
suffocation. "Young man, I b'lieve you're a square dealer, and that yuh
savvy the cow business. I've thought it ever since yuh started t' work."
His keen old eyes twinkled at the memory of Rowdy's arrival, and Rowdy
grinned. "I take yuh at your word, and yuh can consider yourself in
charge uh this herd as it stands. Take it t' that cow heaven yuh tell
about--and damn it, yuh won't be none the worse for it!"

"We'll pass that up," said Rowdy quietly. "I'll take the herd through,
though; and I'd advise you to get the rest on the road as soon as they
can be gathered. It's a three-hundred-mile drive."

"All right. From now on it's up to you," Eagle Creek told him briskly.
"Take 'em back t' the Rockin' R field, and I'll send the wagons back
t' you. Old Mullen'll likely make a roar--but that's most all gove'ment
land he's got fenced, so I guess I can calm him down. Will yuh go near
the ranch?"

"I think so," said Rowdy. "It will be the shortest way."

"Well, I'll give yuh some blank checks, an' you can load up with grub
and anything else yuh need. I'll be over there by the time you are, and
fix up that duty business. Wooden Shoes'll ha