he water-hole." Then he paused,
anticipating the obvious question to which he made answer: "Yes. The
water-hole ranch is me ranch. I filed on her the same day that you and
Miss Loring come to Usher. Incondescent to that I was in the calaboose
at Antelope. Somebody tole the sheriff that I was a suspicious
character. Mebby I am, judgin' from the outside, but inside I ain't.
You can't always tell what the works is like by the case, I ain't got
no hard feelin's for nobody, and I'm wishful that folks don't have no
hard feelin's ag'in' me or anybody else."

Loring listened in silence. Finally he spoke. "I'll take care of my
sheep. I'll send for 'em to-day. Looks like you're tryin' to play
square, but you don't figure in this deal. Jack Corliss is at the
bottom of it and he's using you. And he'll use you hard. What you
goin' to do with the overflow from the water-hole?"

"I'm goin' to irrigate me ranch," said Sundown.

Loring nodded. "And cut off the water from everybody?"

"Not from me friends."

"Which means the Concho."

"Sure! Jack Corliss is me friend. But that ain't all. If you want to
be me friend, I ain't kickin' even if you did tell the sheriff he ought
to git acquainted with me closer. I'm goin' to speak right out. I
reckon it's the best way. I got a proposition. If you'll quit sickin'
them herders onto cowboys and if Jack'll quit settin' the punchers at
your herders, I'll open up me spring and run her down to where they's
water for everybody. If cows comes, they drink. If sheep comes,
_they_ drink. If folks comes, they drink, likewise. But no fightin'."

Sundown as arbiter of peace felt that he had, in truth, "spoken right
out." He was not a little surprised at himself and a bit fearful. Yet
he felt justified in his suggestion. Theoretically he had made a fair
offer. Practically his offer was of no value. Sheep and cattle could
not occupy the same range. Loring grumbled something and shoved back
his chair. They rose and stepped to the veranda.

"If you can get Corliss to agree to what you say--and quit runnin'
cattle on the water-hole side--I'll quit runnin' sheep there." And
Loring waved his hand toward the north.

"But the Concho is on the west side--" began Sundown.

"And cattle are grazin' on the east side," said Loring.

Sundown scratched his head. "I reckon I got to see Jack," he said.

"And you'll waste time, at that," said Loring. "Look here! Are you
ranchin'