wishing_ you would be sent up. I
saw it in their faces, Tom. And that old rock-hearted Scotchman looked
as if he's just lost two bits when the jury said 'Not guilty.'"

"Mh-m--hm-m--that's what I'm figuring on now," said Tom, and bent to
his problem. "My old dad woulda gone out and shot up a few, but times
are changed and we're all getting so damn civilized we've got to stack
the cards or quit the game. Belle, what do you reckon it's worth to a
man to be hauled into court and called a cow thief?"

Belle's lips pressed together. "I don't know, Tom--but I know what it
would have cost 'em if they had sent you over the road. I had a gun on
me, and when that jury foreman stood up to give the verdict, it was
looking him in the eye through a buttonhole in my coat. Him and
Cheyenne and old Scotty and two or three more would sure have got
theirs, if he hadn't said, 'Not guilty.'"

"Lord bless yuh, I knew it all the time. Next time we go to court
you'll leave the artillery at home, old girl. I like to got heart
failure there for a minute, till I seen you ease down and lay your
hand in your lap." He looked at her and laughed a little. "I've got a
bill of damages against several of the folks around here, but I ain't
fool enough to try and collect with a six-gun."

He settled himself to his task, writing at the top of the page the
name of Aleck Douglas and after that "Dr." A full page he covered with
items set against the names of various neighbors. When he had finished
he folded the paper neatly and put it away with other important
memoranda, picked up his big gray Stetson and went over to kiss Belle
full on her red lips, and to smooth her hair, with a reassuring pat
on her plump shoulder as a final caress.

"Don't you worry none about the Black Rimmers," he said, "and don't
you worry about me. I've got to ride high, wide and handsome now to
make up the time and money I lost on account of the spotty yearlin',
and maybe I won't be home so much. But I ain't quarreling with my
neighbors, nor getting into any kind of ruckus whatever."

With the stilted, slightly stiff-legged gait born of long hours in the
saddle and of high-heeled riding boots, he walked unhurriedly to the
corral where the boys were just driving in a herd of horses.

Few of them showed saddle marks, all of them snorted and tossed
untrimmed manes and tails as they clattered against the stout poles,
circling the big corral in a cloud of dust and a thunder of hoof