back. An' so far they've ridden rings round th' cap'n. Now he thinks as
how any Reb blowin' in town could be one of 'em, comin' to sniff out some
good pickin's. So anyone as can't explain hisself proper to th' cap'n gits
locked up out at camp till he can--"

"Trifle highhanded, ain't he?"

"Well, th' cap'n's for law an' order, an' he's army. But folks ain't
likin' it too much. So far he's been doin' it though."

Drew frowned. So even this far away from the scene of old battles the war
still smoldered; the black bitterness of defeat was made harder by the
victor. Drew's hand rubbed across the bulge beneath his shirt. In one
pocket of the money belt were his papers, among them the parole written
out in Gainesville which could prove he had ridden with General Forrest's
command, far removed from any Arizona guerrilla force. But to produce that
would change Drew Kirby to Drew Rennie, and that he did not want to do.

"I rode with General Forrest, attached to General Buford's Scouts," he
said absently.

"General Forrest!" Callie glowed. "Lordy, Mister Kirby, that's sure
somethin', it sure is! Only don't be sayin' that round Cap'n Bayliss
neither. He has him a big hate for General Forrest--seems like Bayliss was
a colonel once till th' General outsmarted him back east. An' there was a
big smoke-up 'bout it. They cut th' cap'n's spurs for him, an' he ended
th' war out here. Now he ain't no patient man; he's th' kind as uses his
hooks hard when he's ridin'.

"You know, you sure can tell a lot 'bout a man when you give a look at his
hoss after he's come off th' trail. That there Shiloh colt o' yours, an'
this here lady hoss, an' that old mule ... anyone can see as how they's
always been handled nice an' easy. They ain't got no spite 'gainst nobody
as wants to rub 'em down an' give 'em a feed. But some hosses what git
brung in here--they's white-eyed an' randy, does you give 'em a straight
stare. For that there's always a reason. Mostly you can see what it is
when you look good an' steady at th' men who was ridin' 'em!"

Drew laughed. "Glad I passed your test, Callie. Guess I'll turn in now.
Been a long day travelin'--"

"Sure thing. An' from up there you can hear this little old mare, does she
need you."

The Kentuckian's pack had been hoisted into the mow, and Callie had even
humped up the fragrant hay to mattress his bedroll. A window was open to
the night, and as Drew stretched out wearily, he could hear the distant