hurting you, Pink?"

"Forecasting the future," Pink retorted. "Eagle Creek has come alive,
and has wised up sudden to the fact that this ain't going t' be any
Noah's flood brand uh summer, and that his cattle look like the tailings
of a wash-board factory. He's got busy--and we're sure going to. We're
due t' hit the grit out uh here in the first beams uh rosy morn, and do
a record stunt at gathering cattle."

"Well, we were going to, anyhow," Rowdy cut in.

"But that's only the prelude, old-timer. We've got t' take 'em across
country to the Belknap reservation. Eagle Creek went t' town and
telegraphed, and got the refusal of it for pasturage; he ain't so
slow, oncet he gets started. But if you've ever rode over them dried-up
benches, you savvy the merry party we'll be when we git there. I've saw
jack-rabbits packing their lunch along over there."

"Belknap"--Rowdy dropped his saddle spitefully to the ground--"is where
our friend Conroy has just gone to fill a splendid position."

Pink thoughtfully blew the ashes from his cigarette. "Harry Conroy would
fill one position fine. So one uh these days I'll offer it to him. I
don't know anybody that'd look nicer in a coffin than that jasper--and
if he's gone t' Belknap, that's likely the position he'll fill, all
right."

Rowdy said nothing, but his very silence told Pink much.

"How'd yuh make out with Jessie?" Pink asked frankly, though he was not
supposed to know where Rowdy had been.

Rowdy knew from experience that it was useless trying to keep anything
from Pink that Pink wanted to know; besides, there was a certain comfort
in telling his troubles to so stanch a friend. "Harry got his work in
there, too," he said bitterly. "He beat me to her and queered me for
good, by the looks."

"Huh!" said Pink. "I wouldn't waste much time worrying over her, if
she's that easy turned."

"She's all right," defended Rowdy quickly. "I don't know as I blame her;
she takes the stand any sister would take. She wants to know all about
the trouble--hear both sides, she said, so she could judge which was to
blame. I guess she's got her heart set on being peacemaker. I know one
thing: she--likes me, all right."

"I don't see how he queered yuh any, then," puzzled Pink. "She sure
couldn't take his part after you'd told her all he done."

Rowdy turned on him savagely. "You little fool, do you think I told her?
Right there's the trouble. He told his story; and when she asked for
mi