thought quite sufficient to mark his cattle. It was merciful
to the calves, he maintained, and as to thieves, the dishonest would
be punished by law and the Douglas wrath. The Miller brand, a plain
Block, showed now and then upon the rump of some animal. The AJ fled
occasionally before a rider, and there were brands alien to the Black
Rim; brands on cattle that had drifted down from the Snake through the
Lava Creek pass, or over the sage-grown ridges farther north.

His rifle sheathed in a saddle holster under his thigh, his black eyes
roving here and there and letting no small movement of men or animals
escape their seeing glances, Tom Lorrigan rode to the round-up, lord
of the range, steadfast upon the trail of his "million on the hoof" of
which he dreamed. Beside him rode Al, and the two of them were talking
while they rode.

"He ain't safe, I tell you," Al was saying in the tone of reiteration.
"And you needn't ask me how I know. I know it, that's all. Maybe he's
too damn' agreeable or something. Anyway, I know I don't like the way
his eyes set in his head."

"A man that wasn't safe wouldn't dare come into the Black Rim and make
the play he's makin'," Tom contended. "I've had my eye on him ever
since he come. I've checked up what he says at different times--they
tally like the truth. I can't find nothing wrong."

"I've got him set down for a spotter," said Al.

"If he ain't on the level it'll show up sooner or later," Tom
contended. "I've got my eye on him. I dunno what you pin your argument
on, Al, I'll be darned if I do."

"Well, watch out for Cheyenne. That's all. You're pretty keen, all
right, but all a man's got to do to get on your blind side is to blow
in here with his chin on his shoulder and his horse rode to a whisper
and claim to you he's hidin' out. Cheyenne ain't right, I tell yuh.
You take a tip from me and watch him."

"Takes a kid to tell his dad where to head in at!" growled Tom. "How
do you reckon I ever got along before your time. Ever figure that out,
Al?"

"Now, what's eatin' on old Scotty Douglas, do yuh reckon? That's him,
all right. I could tell him on horseback ten mile off. He rides like a
Mormon."

Tom grunted. His boys, he had long ago discovered, were very apt to
find some excuse for changing the subject whenever he mentioned the
past which had not held their arrogant young selves. Tom resented the
attitude of superior wisdom which they were prone to assume. They were
pretty