ld ever strayed far from the
rifle which was part of his equipment. But even this was an evidence
of vigilance which had met her eye every day for months and had ceased
to impress.

They walked to the near edge of the field and Harris stooped to part
the knee-deep grain, pointing to the slender stems of alfalfa with
their delicate leaves.

"We have a record stand of young hay," he said. "It's thick all
through--every place I've looked." He straightened up and laughed.
"And I expect I've looked at every acre. I've been right interested in
those little shoots. It's deep-rooted now. The worst is past. I
don't see that anything that could happen now would kill it out. Next
year we'll put up a thousand tons of hay."

He dropped a hand on her shoulder and stood looking down at her.

"Billie, don't you think it's about time you were finding out what
Judge Colton wants?" he asked. "He's been right insistent on your
going back to confer with him."

The girl shook her head positively. Two months before Judge Colton had
written that he must advise with her on matters of importance and
suggested that she come on at once. Harris had urged her to go and
almost daily referred to it.

"I can't go now," she said. "Not till I've seen one whole season
through. When the first Three Bar crop is cut and in the stack I'll
go. All other business must wait till then. You two can't drive me
away till after I see that first crop in the stack."

"If you'd go now you'd likely get back before we're through cutting,"
he urged. "And the Judge has written twice in the last two weeks."

Before she could answer this a horseman appeared on the valley road.
The furthest irrigator, merely a speck in the distance, exchanged
shovel for rifle and crossed to the fence. The rider, as if expecting
some such move, pulled up his horse and approached at a walk.

Harris saw the two confer. The horseman handed some object to the
other and urged his horse on toward the house. He was one of the
sheriff's deputies. He grinned as he tapped his empty holster.

"One of your watchdogs lifted my gun," he said. He handed Harris a
note.

After reading it Harris looked at his watch and snapped it shut,
glanced at the sinking sun and turned to the girl.

"I have to make a little jaunt," he explained.

"Alden wants to see me. I'll take Waddles along. As we go down I'll
send Russ or Tiny up to cook for the rest."

The deputy turned his horse