, you don't git no
richer."

"Al, I have all I want an' need."

"Wal, then, you don't support anybody; you don't do any good in the
world."

"We don't agree, Al," replied Dale, with his slow smile.

"Reckon we never did.... An' you jest come over to pay your respects to
me, eh?"

"Not altogether," answered Dale, ponderingly. "First off, I'd like to
say I'll pay back them sheep you always claimed my tame cougar killed."

"You will! An' how'd you go about that?"

"Wasn't very many sheep, was there?

"A matter of fifty head."

"So many! Al, do you still think old Tom killed them sheep?"

"Humph! Milt, I know damn well he did."

"Al, now how could you know somethin' I don't? Be reasonable, now. Let's
don't fall out about this again. I'll pay back the sheep. Work it out--"

"Milt Dale, you'll come down here an' work out that fifty head of
sheep!" ejaculated the old rancher, incredulously.

"Sure."

"Wal, I'll be damned!" He sat back and gazed with shrewd eyes at Dale.
"What's got into you, Milt? Hev you heard about my niece thet's comin',
an' think you'll shine up to her?"

"Yes, Al, her comin' has a good deal to do with my deal," replied Dale,
soberly. "But I never thought to shine up to her, as you hint."

"Haw! Haw! You're just like all the other colts hereabouts. Reckon it's
a good sign, too. It'll take a woman to fetch you out of the woods. But,
boy, this niece of mine, Helen Rayner, will stand you on your head.
I never seen her. They say she's jest like her mother. An' Nell
Auchincloss--what a girl she was!"

Dale felt his face grow red. Indeed, this was strange conversation for
him.

"Honest, Al--" he began.

"Son, don't lie to an old man."

"Lie! I wouldn't lie to any one. Al, it's only men who live in towns an'
are always makin' deals. I live in the forest, where there's nothin' to
make me lie."

"Wal, no offense meant, I'm sure," responded Auchincloss. "An' mebbe
there's somethin' in what you say... We was talkin' about them sheep
your big cat killed. Wal, Milt, I can't prove it, that's sure. An' mebbe
you'll think me doddery when I tell you my reason. It wasn't what them
greaser herders said about seein' a cougar in the herd."

"What was it, then?" queried Dale, much interested.

"Wal, thet day a year ago I seen your pet. He was lyin' in front of the
store an' you was inside tradin', fer supplies, I reckon. It was like
meetin' an enemy face to face. Because, damn me if I didn't know