et him just the same," he said. "As
a usual thing it is pretty hard to get rid of a nester, isn't it?"

"I haven't been able to get rid of this one," returned Duncan. "He don't
seem to be influenced by anything I say, or do. Some obstinate."

"Tried everything?"

"Yes."

"The law?"

Duncan made a gesture of disgust. "The law!" he said. "What for? I haven't
been such a fool. He's got as much right to the open range as I have--as
you will have. I bought a section, and he took up a quarter section. The
only difference between us is that I own mine--or did own it until you
bought it--and he ain't proved on his. He is on the other side of the
river and I'm on this. Or rather," he added with a grin, "he's on the
other side and you are on this. He's got the best grass land in the
country--and plenty of water."

"His rights, then," remarked Langford slowly, "equal yours--or mine. That
is," he added, "he makes free use of the grass and water."

"That's so," agreed Duncan.

"Which reduces the profits of the Double R," pursued Langford.

"I reckon that's right."

"And you knew that when you sold me the Double R," continued Langford, his
voice smooth and silky.

Duncan flashed a grin at the imperturbable face of the new owner. "I
reckon I wasn't entirely ignorant of it," he said.

"That's bad business," remarked Langford in a detached manner.

"What is?" Duncan's face reddened slightly. "You mean that it was bad
business for me to sell when I knowed Doubler owned land near the Double
R?" There was a slight sneer in his voice as he looked at Langford.
"You've never been stung before, eh? Well, there's always a first time for
everything, and I reckon--according to what I've heard--that you ain't
been exactly no Sunday school scholar yourself."

Langford's eyes were narrowed to slits. "I meant that it was bad business
to allow Doubler's presence on the Two Forks to affect the profits of the
Double R. Perhaps I have been stung--as you call it--but if I have been I
am not complaining."

Duncan's eyes glinted with satisfaction. He had expected a burst of anger
from the new owner when he should discover that the value of his property
was impaired by the presence of a nester near it, but the new owner
apparently harbored no resentment over this unforeseen obstacle.

"I'm admitting," said Duncan, "that Doubler being there is bad business.
But how are you going to prevent him staying there?"

"Have you tried"--Langford l