e owed Dick a return
for the favour of carrying her home that day her own horse went lame;
he could run in the pasture with the other horses, where Bryant would
know he was safe. The plan included Bryant's remaining for dinner,
naturally.

"Have I your permission, Dave?" Lee asked. "Or do you refuse to share
this pleasure with me?"

Dave looked at Louise and blushed furiously.

"I guess you've made your mind up," he said, to Bryant.

"I guess I have," Lee admitted.

Toward noon Mr. Graham joined them and laughingly stated that he was
glad to make the acquaintance of the man who was causing such a furor
among the Mexicans along the Pinas. He asked a number of questions and
listened with interest to the engineer's brief exposition of the plan
to unite the water rights of the Pinas River and of Perro Creek in a
common system, though Bryant disclosed nothing of his survey on the
mesa. Of the opposition Lee had met or might yet encounter the rancher
was aware, for he remarked, "You have a fight on your hands." But that
was his only comment.

After dinner they all continued to talk while the men were smoking
cigars. Graham suggested that if Bryant should need an attorney it
would be well to employ one from Kennard, as those in Bartolo were
nearly all Mexicans. The engineer jotted down the name of one the
rancher recommended, saying that he had his injunction suits to meet
in the September term of court.

"Winship, the sheriff, appears to be one man in Bartolo who's all
right," Lee stated.

"Yes, he's a good man," Graham replied. "Can't be influenced or
bought; and is perfectly square and impartial in the execution of the
duties of his office. He has served twenty years, with exception of
one term when he and Menocal had a disagreement. Menocal controls the
votes in this county, you know; that's general knowledge. But things
became so lax under the Mexican sheriff who displaced him that he was
put back in office. Menocal ordered it; he has much property and
believes in law and order; and there's little or no stealing with
Winship in the sheriff's saddle. I've heard that he first required the
banker to support him unconditionally before resuming the place."

"I can believe that after a look at Winship," Lee said, smiling.

Mr. Graham presently went away to a field where his men were cutting
and stacking alfalfa, after thanking Bryant for rendering assistance
to his daughter on the road and inviting him to call agai