r himself. He's steady and wouldn't
hurt a fly."

Shoop became silent. He, in turn, stared straight ahead.

"What do you think of it?" queried Corliss.

"Nothin'. 'Cept I wouldn't mind havin' a little ole homestead myself."

Corliss laughed. "You're not cut out for it, Bud. You mean you'd like
the chance to make the water-hole a base for operations against Loring.
And the place isn't worth seed, Bud."

"But that water is goin' to be worth somethin'--and right soon. Loring
can't graze over this side the Concho, if he can't get to water."

"That's it. If I put you on that ranch, you'd stand off Loring's
outfit to the finish, I guess."

"I sure would."

"That's why I want Sundown to take it up. He'd let his worst enemy
water sheep or cattle there. He won't fight, but he's loyal enough to
my interests to sue Loring for trespass, if necessary."

"See you and raise you one, Jack. They'll bluff Sun clean off his hind
feet. He won't stick."

"I'll chance it, Bud. And, besides, I need you right where you are."

"I'm sure happy!" exclaimed the irrepressible Bud, grinning.

Corliss laughed, then shook his head. "I'll tell you one thing," he
said, facing his foreman. "I've been 'tending too many irons and some
of 'em are getting cold. I don't want trouble with any one. I've held
off from Loring because--oh--because I had a good reason to say
nothing. Billy's out of it again. The coast is clear, and I'm going
to give old man Loring the fight of his life."

The whoop which Shoop let out startled the team into a lunging gallop.
"Go it, if you want to!" said Corliss as the buckboard swung around a
turn and took the incline toward Antelope. "I'm in a hurry myself."

Nevertheless, he saved the team as they struck the level and held them
to a trot. "Wise old head," was Shoop's inward comment. And then
aloud: "Say, Jack, I ain't sayin' I'm glad to see you get beat up, but
that bing on the head sure got you started right. The boys was
commencin' to wonder how long you'd stand it without gettin' your back
up. She's up. I smell smoke."

At Antelope, Shoop put up the horses. Later he joined his employer and
they had supper at the hotel. Then they strolled out and down the
street toward the sheriff's home. When they knocked at the door it was
opened by a plump, dark-eyed woman who greeted them heartily.

"Come right in, boys. Jim's tendin' the baby." And she took their
hats.

They stepped to t