ld_ go now. _Don_ Cazar would buy the foal and
Shadow, too, and give him a fair price. That would be relinquishing a
dream. No Spur R brand would ever be established here in Arizona. But
sometimes dreams were priced too high....

"You're mighty grim-mouthed," Anse commented, glancing at Drew sideways.
"Thinkin' of trains runnin' through here git you down that far? Or else
that roughenin' up you took in town still sit sour on your stomach?"

"Sits sour all right," Drew admitted. "Sits sourer to think we were
suckered into it."

The scout glanced from one to the other of the young men.

"You think there's somethin' in all that talk Topham was givin' lip to?"
Anse asked.

"Could be. Can't say as how I'd like to find out the truth. Look here,
Fenner, we've heard a lot about Captain Bayliss wantin' to make trouble
for _Don_ Cazar. Does everybody believe that?"

"Everybody wot ain't blind, deef, or outta their natural-born wits,"
Fenner replied. "Bayliss come out here two years ago. 'Fore that, Major
Kenny, he was in command between here an' Tucson. Had him an outpost right
on th' edge o' th' Range. Him an' _Don_ Cazar, they never talked no war,
'cept 'gainst Apaches an' th' _bandidos_. Was there a raid, th' major, he
took out th' troops; and _Don_ Cazar, he took out his riders an' th'
Pimas. 'Tween 'em they give everybody wot wanted a spot of trouble all
they could chew off an' a lot more'n they could swallow. Kept things quiet
even if a man hadda rest his hand on his rifle 'bout twenty-four hours
outta every day.

"But this here Bayliss--he's been like a mule with a burr under his tail
ever since he hit th' territory. Wants to have th' say 'bout
everything--includin' wot goes on at th' Range--which he ain't never goin'
t' have as long as _Don_ Cazar kin sit th' saddle an' ride. Back in '62
when th' Rebs came poundin' in here, they spoke soft an' nice to _Don_
Cazar. They wanted him to back their play an' see 'em straight on to
Californy. He was from Texas an' them Texas boys jus' naturally thought as
how he'd saddle up an' ride right 'long wi' 'em. Only he said it loud an'
clear--that such ruckusin' round only meant th' whole country here'd go to
pot. When th' army pulled out, th' Apaches got it into their heads as how
they finally licked us good an' proper an' this here was their country fur
th' takin'. Nearly was, too.

"Then th' Rebs got up on their high horse an' said as how iffen _Don_
Cazar warn't with 'em, t