remote as if the speaker bestrode
some peak of the Chiricahuas to address a pygmy in a canyon below. "I know
of no law which states that I may not employ whom I choose on my own land.
If a man does his job and makes no trouble, his past does not matter. I am
as ready to fire a former Union soldier as I am a Confederate--"

"I tell you again: I'm not going to have Rebs around here passing on
information to Kitchell!"

"And _I_ say once again, Captain, that men who ride for me do not in
addition ride for Kitchell."

"_Si_--!" Bartolome's face was as flushed as Bayliss' now. "We do not help
those _bandidos_. Do they not also raid us? Two weeks ago Francisco Perez,
his horse comes in with blood on the saddle. We ride out and find
him--shot, dragged with the rope. That is not Apache trick, that, but the
work of Kitchell and his snakes!"

"Peace, _amigo_." _Don_ Cazar's raised finger silenced his man. "Bartolome
is right, Bayliss. Kitchell is beginning to nibble at the Range. He has
not many sources of supply left. Soon he will either have to cross the
border to stay or make some reckless raid which will give us a chance at
him."

"These damned Rebs around here will keep him going! You can't tell me they
don't back him every chance they get. And I'm warning you, Rennie, if you
hire any man you can't answer for, he's going to the stockade and you'll
hear about it from the army!"

"And you also listen, Captain. I will not be dictated to, and the army had
best understand that. I do not want Kitchell in this country any more than
you do. He has made a boast of being Confederate leading what he terms
Mounted Irregulars. But to my knowledge he never held a commission from
the South, and he is nothing but an outlaw trading on the unsettled state
of the territory. That is recognized by every decent man in Arizona. And
that covers those you call 'Rebels' as well as former Union men."

Bayliss was silent for a long second, and then he jerked his hat farther
down on his peeling forehead. "You've had notice, Rennie, that's all I
have to say. I'm going to clear all the Rebs out of this section. Then we
will be able to get at Kitchell, and the army will settle him for good and
all!"

"Bayliss!" The captain had half turned, but _Don_ Cazar's call halted him.
"Don't you try harassing any of my riders. They mind their business and
will not make any trouble as long as they are left in peace. If there are
any problems in town, _Don_ L