esse returned at noon. He had set off singing, but at dinner he was so
thoughtful that he never even noticed my casserole, a dish he was
expected to enjoy, and when he tried afterward to light an empty pipe, I
saw that there was something wrong. He received the story of our caller
with the noises of one displeased. "That visitor, Kate," he summed up,
"would make a first-class stranger. Knew me, you say, in Texas?"

Hearing from her kitchen Mrs. O'Flynn's sharp grunt of dissent, I closed
the door.

"You've left the key-hole open," said Jesse, rising from the table, "come
for a walk."

"Now, Kate dear," Jesse sat down beside me on the Apex Rock, "this morn
you got your first lesson in robbers. How would you like a visit to old
Cap Taylor at Hundred Mile?"

My voice may have quivered just a little. "Danger?" I asked.

"I dunno as there's actual danger, but if I jest _knowed_ you was safe,
I'd be free to act prompt."

"Tell me everything, Jesse."

"Up at the north end of the bench, there's maybe two hundred head of
strange cattle. One pedigree short-horn bull is worth all of twenty-five
hundred dollars, and there's a Hereford stud I'd take off my hat to
anywheres. There's Aberdeens or Angus--I get them poll breeds mixed--and
a bunch of Jerseys grazing apart, purty as deer. Anyways, that herd's
worth maybe two hundred thousand dollars, every hoof of 'em stolen, and
if you raked all them millionaire ranches in California I doubt you'd
get that value."

"How do you know they're stolen?"

"No stock owner needs that amount of stud cattle. We don't raise such in
the north, so they've been drifted in here from the States. They're
gaunt with famine and driving, and it beats me to think how many more's
been left dead crossing the Black Pine country. The Bar Y brands has
been faked. The parties herding 'em waits till I'm away, and tries to
make a deal with you for pasturage. The gent with the sad eyes is sent
dressed up to fool a woman."

"But how could even robbers collect such a wonderful herd?"

"Kate, in them western states there's just about four hundred cow
thieves working together, which you'll see them advertised in the papers
robbing coaches, trains, pay for mining-camps, or now and again some
bank. Still that's just vacations, and the main business is lifting
cattle.

"Ye see, Kate, they'd collect an occasional stud, such as these here
imported thoroughbreds, too good to lose, too well-known to sell, too
hot