"What did he want?"

"Didn't want nothin'. Jest come a-ridin' by."

"I should think you'd had enough of him after the way he ran your
sheep man off."

Watts rubbed his beard. "Well, I do'no. The cattlemen pays me same as
that sheep man done. Vil Holland tended to that."

"That isn't the point. What right has Vil Holland and others of his
ilk to tell you, or me, or anybody else who we shall, or shall not
rent to? It is the principle of the thing. The running off of those
sheep was a lawless act, and the sooner lawlessness, as exemplified by
Vil Holland is stamped out of these hills, the better it will be for
the community. He better not try to bulldoze me." Bethune turned to
Patty. "That Vil Holland is the man I had in mind, Miss Sinclair, when
I warned you to choose your friends wisely. He would stop at nothing
to gain an end, even to posing as a friend of your father. In all
probability he will offer to assist you, but if you have any map or
description of your father's location do not under any circumstances
show it to him."

Patty smiled. "If any such paper exists I shall keep it to myself."

Bethune returned the smile. "Good-by," he said. "I shall look forward
to meeting you again. Shall you remain here?"

"I have made no plans," she answered, and as she watched the two
riders disappear down the creek trail her lips twisted into a smile.
"May pose as a friend of your father ... and probably will offer to
assist you;" she repeated under her breath. "Well, Mr. Bethune, I
thank you again for the warning."

CHAPTER III

PATTY GOES TO TOWN

Ma Watts called loudly from the doorway and numerous small Wattses
appeared as if by magic from the direction of the creek and the
cottonwood thicket. Dinner consisted of flabby salt pork, swimming in
its own grease, into which were dipped by means of fingers or forks,
huge misshapen slices of sour white bread. There was also an abundance
of corn pone, black molasses, and a vile concoction that Ma Watts
called coffee. Flies swarmed above the table and settled upon the food
from which they arose in clouds at each repetition of the dipping
process.

How she got through the meal Patty did not know, but to her surprise
and disgust, realized that she had actually consumed a considerable
portion of the unappetizing mess. Watts arose, stretched prodigiously,
and sauntered to his chair which, true to calculation was already just
within the shadow of the east side of th