to sleep that
night. It was the first when he woke. Late in the morning he was
sitting in Belle Shockley's at breakfast when McAlpin walked in.

"Jim," exclaimed the excitable barn boss, "I got a word this morning
from the Falling Wall."

Laramie regarded him evenly, but did not speak till McAlpin looked
inquiringly toward Belle: "No secrets here, Mac," he said briefly.

"Probably couldn't keep 'em from a woman if you tried," returned
McAlpin, grinning. He pointed calmly toward the kitchen: "If we're all
alone here----"

"Go ahead," intervened Belle impatiently, "we are."

"Punk Budd brought the stage from the Reservation this morning. Coming
down the Turkey he met Van Horn. They had a bunch of Barb's boys with
them driving in some cattle."

"Whose cattle?"

"Punk says when he run into 'em they was roundin' up yours."

"Was Punk sober?" asked Laramie.

"He sure was," replied McAlpin.

Belle, with folded arms, stood in the archway immovable as a statue;
McAlpin sat in silence; Laramie, continuing his breakfast, looked only
at his plate. The silence grew heavy, but two of the three had no
reason to break it and the third did not choose to.

Laramie, at length, took up his coffee, and, drinking slowly, finished
the cup. Setting this down, he wiped his lips and looked at McAlpin.

"Much obliged, Mac," he said, laying down his napkin.

McAlpin regarded him inquiringly: "What you going to do about it, Jim?"
he demanded, when he saw Laramie would say no word.

Laramie pushed back his chair: "What would you do?"

McAlpin spoke seriously: "I'm askin' you."

"I can tell better after I know more about it, Mac."

The barn boss evidently thought Laramie was taking the news too
quietly. He was for violent measures but Laramie calmed him. "If
they've got any of my cattle, they won't run away," said he, "and they
won't blow up. They'll keep, and I'll get them back--every hoof. I'm
riding home this morning, anyway, so I'll be over after my horse in a
minute."

McAlpin went away somewhat disappointed. Laramie only laughed when he
talked it over with Belle: "So long as they don't burn my place, I can
stand it," he said, philosophically.

Nevertheless, he felt disturbed at McAlpin's news--not for its
substance so much as for what it might note in renewed warfare.
Getting his horse, he followed the railroad right of way out of town
and struck out upon open country toward the north. He had no intention
o