d the same experience. An iron stake,
carefully hidden in a clump of grass, had been driven down into the
ground until it was just high enough to intercept the cutting-bar. The
fine, sharp knives were crumpled against it; in some cases the heavy
cutting-bar, in which the knives operate, was damaged.

Y.D.'s face was black with fury.

"That's the lowest, mangyest, cowardliest trick I ever had pulled on
me," he was saying. "I'm plumb equal to ridin' down to Landson's an'
drivin' one of them stakes through under his short ribs."

"But can you prove that Landson did it?" said Zen, who had an element
of caution in her when her father was concerned. She had a vision of
a fight, with Landson pleading entire ignorance of the whole cause of
offence, and her father probably summoned by the police for unprovoked
assault.

"No, I can't prove that Landson did it, an' I can't prove that the grass
my steers eat turns to hair on their backs," he retorted, "but I reach
my own conclusions. Is there any shootin' irons in the place?"

"Now, Dad, that's enough," said the girl, firmly. "There'll be no
shooting between you and Landson. If there is to be anything of that
kind I'll ride down ahead and warn him of what's coming."

"Darter," said Y.D.--it was only on momentous occasions that he
addressed her as daughter--"I brought you over here as a guest, not
as manager o' my affairs. I've taken care of those affairs for some
considerable years, an' I reckon I still have the qualifications. If
you're a-goin' to act up obstrep'rous I'll get Mr. Transley to lend me a
man to escort you home."

"At your service, Y.D.," said George Drazk, who was in the crowd which
had gathered about the rancher, his daughter, and Transley. "That
Pete-horse an' me would jus' see her over the hills a-whoopin'."

"I don't think it would be wise to take any extreme measures, at least,
not just yet," said Transley. "It's out of the question to suppose that
Landson has picketed the whole valley with those stakes. It is now quite
clear why we were left in peace yesterday. He wanted us to get started,
and get a few swaths cut, so that he would know where to drive the
stakes to catch us the next morning. Some of these machines can be
repaired at once, and the others within a day or two. We will just move
over a little and start on new fields. There's pretty good moonlight
these nights and we'll leave a few men out on guard, and perhaps we can
catch the enemy at his