erest Bob a whole lot," Al said maliciously. "He rode
over to see her yesterday. She wasn't home, though."

Senator Warfield seemed unmoved by this bit of news, wherefore Al
returned to the main issue.

"Do I get a free hand, or don't I?" he insisted. "They can't be let
peddle talk--not if I stay around here."

Senator Warfield considered the matter.

"The girl's got the only line on me," Al went on. "The inquest was as
clean as I ever saw. Everything all straight--and then, here she comes
up----"

"If you know how to stop a woman's mouth, Al, you can make a million a
month telling other men." Senator Warfield smiled at him. Then he
leaned across the front seat and added impressively, "Bear one thing in
mind, Al. The Sawtooth cannot permit itself to become involved in any
scandal, nor in any killing cases. We're just at the most crucial
point with our reclamation project, over here on the flat. The
legislature is willing to make an appropriation for the building of the
canal, and in two or three months at the latest we should begin selling
agricultural tracts to the public. The State will also throw open the
land it had withdrawn from settlement, pending the floating of this
canal project. More than ever the integrity of the Sawtooth Cattle
Company must be preserved, since it has come out openly as a backer of
the irrigation company. Nothing--_nothing_ must be permitted to stand
in the way."

He removed his thin driving cap and wiped his perspiring forehead.
"I'm sorry this all happened--as it has turned out," he said, with real
regret in his tone. "But since it did happen, I must rely upon you
to--to--er----"

"I guess I understand," Al grinned sardonically. "I just wanted you to
know how things is building up. The Quirt's kinda overreached itself.
I didn't want you comin' back on me for trying to keep their feet outa
the trough. I want you to know things is pretty damn ticklish right
now, and it's going to take careful steppin'."

"Well, don't let your foot slip, Al," Senator Warfield warned him.
"The Sawtooth would hate to lose you; you're a good man."

"Oh, I get yuh," Al retorted. "My foot ain't going to slip---- If it
did, the Sawtooth would be the first to pile onto my back!" The last
sentence was not meant for the senator's ears. Al had backed his
horse, and Senator Warfield was stepping on the starter. But it would
not have mattered greatly if he had heard, for this was a point