found time for a
smile at her devoted servitor; "Now, have a horse ready, will you?" And
without waiting for Jose's answer, taking up the telephone, she asked
for the office at the Lower End, as the rich valley land of the western
portion of the ranch was commonly known.

Briefly making herself known to the owner of the boyish voice which
answered, she asked, for "Doc" Tripp and was informed that the ranch
veterinarian was no longer with the outfit. Judith frowned.

"Where is he?"

"Rocky Bend, I think."

"When did he leave us?"

"Three days ago."

"Why?"

"Fired. Mr. Trevors let him go."

"Hm!" said Judith. "Who has taken his place?"

"Bill Crowdy is sort of acting vet, right now."

"Thanks," she said. Clicking off, she put in a call for "Doc" Tripp in
Rocky Bend. "Get him for me as quick as you can, will you, please?"
she asked of the operator in town.

For five minutes she munched at a sandwich and pored over the papers
before her, dealing with this or that of the many interests of the big
ranch. When at last her telephone-bell rang she found that it was
Tripp.

"Hello, Doc," she said cordially. "I haven't seen you for so long I
almost have forgotten how you comb your hair!" Tripp laughed with her
at that; across the miles she could picture him running his big hand
through the rebellious shock. "Yes, I'm back to stay, and from the
looks of it I didn't come any too soon. Yes, Doc, we do miss him," and
her voice softened wonderfully to Tripp's mention of the man who had
been more than father to her, more than friend to him. "But we are
going to buck up and show folks that he _knew_. He would have made a
go of the thing; we are going to do it. What was the trouble with you
and Trevors?"

Tripp explained succinctly. He and the general manager had disagreed
openly and frequently about that part of the work in which, until the
coming of Trevors, the veterinarian had been entirely unhampered. Two
months ago Trevors had reduced Tripp's wages and had threatened another
cut.

"Just to make me quit, you know," he added. "And I would have quit if
it had been any other outfit in the world."

"I know," she said, and she did understand. "Go on. What was the
excuse for canning you?"

"Case of lung-worms," he told her. "Some of the calves, I don't know
just how many yet. He insisted on my treating them the old way."

"Slaked lime? Or sulphur fumes?" she said quickly. "And you insisted
o