lars reward. I done found 'em, Mr. Snaith."

Lee, about to enter the house, stopped in her tracks.

"Where?" demanded the cattleman jubilantly.

"Down the river--hid in a dugout they done built. I'll take you-all
there."

"I knew they couldn't be far away when that first hawss came in all
blood-stained. Hustle up four or five of the boys, Dumont. Get 'em here
on the jump." In the face of the big drover could be read a grim elation.

His daughter confronted him. "What are you going to do, dad?"

"None o' yore business, Lee. You ain't in this," he answered promptly.

"You're going out to kill those men," she charged, white to the lips.

"They'll git a trial if they surrender peaceable."

"What kind of a trial?" she asked scornfully. "They know better than to
surrender. They'll fight."

"That'll suit me too."

"Don't, dad. Don't do it," the girl begged. "They're game men. They
fought fair. I've made inquiries. You mustn't kill them like wolves."

"Mustn't I?" he said stubbornly. "I reckon that's just what I'm goin' to
do. I'll learn Homer Webb to send his bad men to Los Portales lookin'
for trouble. He can't kill my riders an' get away with it."

"You know he didn't do that. This boy--Clanton, if that's his name--had a
feud with the Roush family. One of them betrayed his sister. Far as I can
find out these Roush brothers were the scum of the earth," Her bosom rose
and fell fast with excitement.

"Howcome you to know so much about it, girl? Not that it makes any
difference. They may have been hellhounds, but they were my riders. These
gunmen went into my own place an' shot 'em down. They picked the fight.
There's no manner o' doubt about that."

"They didn't do it on your account. I tell you there was an old feud."

"Webb thinks he's got the world by the tail for a downhill pull. I'll
show him."

"Dad, you're starting war. Don't you see that? If you shoot these men
he'll get back by killing some of yours. And so it will go on."

"I reckon. But I'm not startin' the war. He did that. It was the boldest
piece of cheek I ever heard tell of--those two gunmen goin' into
Tolleson's and shootin' up my riders. They got to pay the price."

Lee cried out in passionate protest. "It'll be just plain murder, dad.
That's all."

"What's got into you, girl?" he demanded, seizing her by the arms. The
chill of anger and suspicion filmed his light-blue eyes. "I won't stand
for this kind of talk. You go right into the hou