s to give
the color of justification to the crimes they practice on us, and
rustler is the worst one in the cattlemen's dictionary. It stands
ahead of murder and arson in this country. I'm not saying there are no
rustlers around the edges of these big ranches, for there are some.
But if there are any among the settlers up our way we don't know
it--and I think we'd pretty soon find out."

They turned and walked back toward the house.

"I don't see why you should trouble about it; this plainly isn't your
place," she said.

"First, I refused to be driven out by Chadron and the rest because the
thing got on my mettle. I knew that I was right, and that they were
simply stealing the public domain. Then, as I hung on, it became
apparent that there was a man's work cut out for somebody up here.
I've taken the ready-made job."

"Tell me about it."

"There's a monstrous injustice being practiced, systematically and
cruelly, against thousands of homeless people who come to this country
in innocent hope every year. They come here believing it's the great
big open-handed West they've heard so much about, carrying everything
with them that they own. They cut the strings that hold them to the
things they know when they face this way, and when they try to settle
on the land that is their inheritance, this copper-bottomed
combination of stockmen drives them out. If they don't go, they shoot
them. You've heard of it."

"Not just that way," said she, thoughtfully.

"No, they never shoot anybody but a rustler, the way the world hears
of it," said he, in resentment. "But they'll hear another story on the
outside one of these days. I'm in this fight up to the eyes to break
the back of this infernal combination that's choking this state to
death. It's the first time in my life that I ever laid my hand to
anything for anybody but myself, and I'm going to see it through to
daylight."

"But there must be millions behind the cattlemen, Mr. Macdonald."

"There are. It seems just about hopeless that a handful of ragged
homesteaders ever can make a stand against them. But they're usurping
the public domain, and they'll overreach themselves one of these days.
Chadron has title to this homestead, but that's every inch of land
that he's got a legal right over. In spite of that, he lays the claim
of ownership to the land fifteen miles north of here, where I've
nested. He's been telling me for more than two years that I must clear
out."

"