arlance his "feet don't track," his backbone wilts, and
his knees bow naturally as a result of early horseback riding. On solid
earth the cowboy is a crestfallen and dejected object.

As the two trudged along beneath the calm stars that had seen a thousand
stampedes since the millions of buffalo roared up and down its length,
Larkin told Juliet of the events that had occurred since they had said
farewell at the fork of Grassy Creek. At the mention of the rustlers and
the activities they were carrying on the girl gave a little, low cry.

"Father must hear that," she said. "He would give a lot to have
descriptions of those men."

"He couldn't give me back two thousand sheep and lambs," rejoined Bud
bitterly.

"No, but I think he would give you their value."

"Yes, and stampede it into another gully when I brought it across his
range. Juliet, I'm not done with this thing. I'll fight your father or any
other man that ever heard a calf bawl for milk, until I get my rights on
the free range."

Larkin's voice was deep and full-throated with the righteous anger that
surged through him over the outrage that had been wrought that night.

As for the girl, she did not recognize this Bud Larkin. The man she had
known had been one of gay pleasantries, but rather ineffectual endeavors;
this man who spoke was one to whom his will was his law, and obstacles
merely helps because of their strengthening of his determination. For the
first time she saw the Bud Larkin that had developed in the last year,
and a kind of admiring thrill at the mental stature of the man went
through her.

And yet she knew that war--hard, tenacious, ugly war--war without quarter,
mercy, or respite, was irrevocably declared between Larkin and her father;
and, even in her instinctive loyalty to her house, she had to admit that
Bud was justified.

"Oh, I wish you would give the whole thing up!" she said plaintively. "It
will only result in ruin to everybody."

Larkin laughed harshly.

"I'll never give it up until I am either dead or haven't a dollar left,"
he replied. "I am determined to have my rights in this matter, and I shall
have them whatever the cost."

For a time there was silence between them, each realizing that further
discussion could only prove unhappy.

They had gone about two miles from the scene of the stampede when suddenly
a man appeared close in front of them and commanded them to halt.

"Hello, Sims!" cried Larkin joyfully, recog