these last few days?"

"In San Francisco? Heard him say he was going to take a few days off."

Judith laughed.

"That's Carson for you! He wouldn't admit where he was going. I sent
him down to Davis where the State experimental farm and laboratories
are. He's going to see silo, study silo, think silo until he gets a
new idea into his head. I have ordered a big extension in our
irrigated area, I have begun the construction of two more silos. When
Carson gets back he's going to look around for some more shorthorns at
bargain prices. I have an idea it wouldn't do you any harm either, to
look over what we are doing down at the Lower End."

Again she paused. Then, her eyes suddenly darkening, she told him
what, after all, lay top-most in her mind.

"I have said that if I am given the chance, I can make a go of this.
It's up to you, Bud Lee, to help see that I get that chance. An
attempt was made to spread the lung-worm through my calves. Now it's
the hogs. Do you know what the latest news is from the pens? There's
cholera among them."

"Where did it come from?" he demanded. "Tripp's been keeping the
health of our stock up right along."

"Where did it come from?" Judith repeated after him. "That's what I
don't know. We've been so careful. But where did the calf sickness
come from? Bayne Trevors imported it."

The inference was clear. He stared at her with frowning eyes.

"I don't see how he could have done it without Tripp's getting on to
it. He hasn't bought any new hogs."

"But you understand now why I wanted to talk to you? If I win out in
the thing I have taken on my shoulders, it is going to be by a close
margin. I've thought it all out. We can't slip up in a single deal!
But, it's up to you to give me a hand. To find out for yourself such
things as where did the cholera come from! And to look out, that the
next time they don't burn us out, when the range is dry. To see that
nothing happens to your horses. To keep your two eyes wide open. To
help me find the man, working with us right now, who is double-crossing
us, who turned Shorty loose, who is watching a chance to do his knife
act again somewhere else. Do you get me, Bud Lee?"

"I get you," replied Lee.

From without, gay voices, calling merrily, interrupted them. Lee went
swiftly to the door while Judith finished her coffee and pulled her
broad hat a little lower to throw its shadow in her eyes.

"Ahoy, there!" It was