d
shape. Maybe forty or so head down with broken legs--and ten pounds of
fat apiece run off the rest."

A hatred of Slade was growing within her. Here, too, was a case where
no other would benefit by the senseless stampede. If the beef herd
could be broken up it would cause a delay to round it up in a strange
range with the certainty of many cows being missed,--a case of
weakening the Three Bar.

She had been so absorbed in learning the details of the new work, so
elated at its progress, that she had come to believe in its ultimate
success. And they had been unmolested for so long a time. Then had
come the wanton slaughter of Three Bar bulls and now the stampede of
the trail herd. It was conclusive proof that Slade had abandoned his
former wearing-down process as too slow and was out to crush the Three
Bar in the speediest possible way and through any available means.

There rose in her a flare of resentment against her neighbors, the
Brandons of the V L and the McVeys of the Halfmoon D. Both had taken
out papers on the best land in their respective localities as soon as
forewarned of her intended move. Ostensibly this was done merely as a
protection against outsiders but in reality they were hoping that she
would win out, in which case they would go through with their filings
and prove up. But neither outfit would come out in the open and give
her their support, preferring to hold aloof and benefit by her success
if it so transpired and lose nothing themselves if she should
fail--part of the policy of every man for himself--in the meantime
letting her brand bear the brunt of the fight.

Harris, too, was pondering over Slade's change of tactics. He felt
assured that Slade's own men had not participated in starting the run.
Slade would not let any considerable number of his boys know that much
about him. Some of Lang's men had undoubtedly been hired to stampede
the Three Bar herd.

"The very fact that Slade is so bald with it is proof that he sees the
necessity of crowding us fast," Harris said. "If we get too big a
start he's blown up--and he hasn't had anything to work on but plowed
ground. He's out now to worry us at odd ends. We can expect a steady
run of mishaps now, for he'll work fast--but we'll win out in the end."

She nodded a little wearily for she knew that with Slade throwing all
his forces against her the Three Bar would be hard pressed. In
addition to this worry her mind was concerned