s throat.

"I've got to say these things later if I don't say 'em now, Jeff, boy.
What I need to tell 'll make you sore, an' I don't guess it's the best
sort o' welcome making you sore at your home-comin'. It's the worst of
the yarn anyway, an' I kind o' feel it's best spitting out the worst
right away. We're up against a gang, a slick gang, organized right,
same as----"

He hesitated. But the younger man seemed to have no similar scruples.

"The gang my brother ran."

Bud nodded.

"Some of 'em got clear away--that time."

"And you figure after giving things time to get forgotten they've
gathered up a crowd of toughs and started in on this district?"

"It seems that way."

"How?"

"System," Bud declared sharply. "They're takin' a steady toll of us,
an' other folks in the district. We trailed 'em to the hills,
an'--lost 'em. Say, if we don't handle 'em it means----"

"Something like ruin for the--Obar."

Jeff's manner was shorn of any equivocation. He spoke with almost
ruthless force, but the coldness of tone was incomparable with the
steely light in his blue eyes.

After a moment's silence he turned away. He stood looking back over
the trail he had just left, and Bud regarded his keen profile, waiting.
He felt there was nothing more for him to say at the moment.

At last the other turned in his quick, decided fashion as the sound of
the women's voices reached them from within the parlor.

"Will you stop and eat with us?" he asked bluntly.

Bud shook his head.

"Not now, Jeff, boy. This is your home-coming."

"Yes. Well, I'll get around your place to-morrow morning, Bud. We can
make big talk then."

CHAPTER XVI

THE RANCHMAN

The cool night breeze died out under the increasing heat of the early
sun. Away to the west gossamer melted upon the hillsides. The
mountain tops stood out under their eternal snows, above the lower
cloud belts. The summer dews on thirsty foliage dried up before their
mission was completed. But the wide prairie world stood up refreshed
to withstand the day's heat yet to come.

Elvine Masters was on the veranda of her new home gazing after the
receding figure of her husband, who had just left her to discuss with
his partner those vital things which they had touched upon at the
moment of his arrival yesterday.

Everywhere about her the busy life of the ranch was stirring. Inside
the house the maids were at work garnishing the home which Nan had
alre