hich the sun and superb health
had painted to a harmony of gold and russet, with the soft glow of pink
pushing through the tan. The unexpectedness of the picture magnetized
his gaze. Admiration, frank and human, shone from the steel-gray eyes
that had till now been only a mask. Beneath his steady look she flushed
indignantly and withdrew from the window.

Convicted of rudeness, the last thing he had meant, Keller returned to
the porch and leaned against the door jamb while he opened his letter.
His appearance immediately sandbagged conversation. Stony eyes were
focused upon him incuriously, with expressionless hostility.

He noted, however, an exception. Another had been added to the group, a
lad of about eighteen, slim and swarthy, with the same dark look of
pride he had seen on the face at the stamp window. It was easy to guess
that they were brother and sister, very likely twins, though he found in
the boy's expression a sulky impatience lacking in hers. Perhaps the lad
needed the discipline that life hammers into those who want to be a law
unto themselves.

With an insolence extremely boyish, the lad turned to Healy. "I'm for
running out a few of these nesters. We've got more than we can use, I
reckon. The range is overstocked now--both with them and cows. Come a
bad year and half of our cattle will starve."

There was a moment of surcharged silence. Phil Sanderson had voiced the
growing feeling of them all, but he had flung it out as a stark
challenge before the time was ripe. It was one thing to resent the
coming of settlers; it was quite another to set themselves openly
against the law that allowed these men to homestead the natural parks in
the hills.

Brill Healy laughed. "The fat's in the fire now, sure enough. Just the
same, I back your play, Phil."

He turned recklessly to the man in the doorway. "You may tell your
friends up on Bear Creek that we own this range and mean to hold it. We
don't aim to let our cattle be starved, and we don't aim to lie down
before rustlers. Understand?"

The nester smiled, but there was no gayety in his eyes. They met those
of the cattleman with a grip of steel, and measured strength with him.
Each knew the other would go the limit before Keller made quiet answer:

"I think so."

And with that he dismissed the subject and his unfriendly audience. With
perfect ease, he read his letter, pocketed it, and whistled softly as he
impassively took stock of the scenery. Appare