Caldwell; "Jim
Lefingwell's word was the only contract anyone ever needed with him." He
looked keenly at Lawler. "What you aimin' to do?" he questioned.

"I've been thinking it over," said Lawler.

"You ain't figgerin' to lay down to the cusses?" Caldwell's voice was
low and cold.

Lawler looked straight at him, smiling. Caldwell laughed, and the others
grinned.

"Lawler, we knowed you wouldn't," declared Caldwell; "but a man's got a
right to ask. Right here an' now somethin' has got to be done. Looks to
me as if we've got to play this game to a showdown, an' we might as well
start right now. They're ain't none of us men goin' to let Gary Warden
an' the railroad company run our business; but there's a few owners
around here that ain't got no stomach for a fight, an' they'd sell to
Warden for ten dollars rather than have any trouble. Them's the guys
we've got to talk mighty plain to. For if they go to sellin' for what
they can get, they'll make it allfired uncomfortable for us."

"This is a free country, Caldwell. So far as I'm concerned every man
runs his own ranch and sells for what he thinks is a fair price. If we
go to interfering with them, we'd be as bad as Warden and the railroad
company."

"Lawler, you're right," agreed Caldwell, after reflecting a moment. "I
didn't realize that, at first. A man don't think, when he's mad clear
through. But it's mighty plain--we've got to stand on our own feet, if
we stand at all."

Barthman, a tall, lean-faced man, cleared his throat.

"Lawler, you're the man to handle this thing. You've got the most money,
the most brains, an' you're known all over the state--on account of them
slick Herefords you've been raisin', an' on account of headin' the
delegation to the state convention last fall, from this county. You can
talk, for you mighty near stampeded that convention last fall. If you'd
said the word you'd have been governor today instead of that dumb coyote
which is holdin' down the office now. You've got the reputation an' the
backbone--an' they've got to listen to you. I've heard that cattle
owners all over the state are gettin' the same deal." Barthman's eyes
gleamed with passion. "I propose that you be elected chairman of this
meetin', an' that you be instructed to hop on the mornin' train an' go
to the railroad commissioner at the capital an' tell him that if he
don't give orders to bust up this thievin' combination the cattle owners
of this county will come down