s and the parks."

Sanderson looked at him in astonishment. "That's all we've been
contending for!"

Buck nodded. "Since you get what you want, you ought to be satisfied,"
he said gruffly. "Of course, there will have to be some give-and-take
about this. My cattle will cross the line. So will yours. That can't be
helped. I've worked out this problem of the range feed pretty
thoroughly. My territory will feed just about as many as yours. Each
year we can arrange together to keep the number of cattle down."

Under his shaggy brows, Sanderson looked at him in perplexity. The
proposition was more than generous. It meant that Weaver would have to
sell off about a thousand head of cattle, while the hill-men, on the
other hand, could increase their holdings.

"What about sheep?" the old man asked bluntly.

Buck's stony gaze met his steadily. "I'm going to leave those sheep on
your conscience, Mr. Sanderson. You'll have to settle that matter for
yourself."

"You mean you'll not stand in the way, if I want to keep them?"

"That's what I mean. It's up to you."

Phil, who was sitting on the porch sewing on a pair of leather chaps,
indulged in a grin. "I see this is where we go out of the sheep
business," he said.

"The market's good. I don't know but what it would be the right thing to
sell," his father agreed. "I want to meet you halfway in settling this
trouble, Mr. Weaver."

The matter was discussed further at some length, after which the
cattleman shook hands all round and departed. Out of the tail of his eye
he saw Keller saddling a horse at the stables.

"Think I'll beat you out of that ride with the schoolmarm to-day, my
friend. A steady diet of rides like that is liable to intoxicate a man,"
he told himself, with his grim smile. In plain sight of all, he turned
the head of his horse toward the road that led to the schoolhouse.

Presently he met pupils galloping home, calling to each other joyously
as they rode. Others followed more sedately in buggies. Nearer the
schoolhouse he came on one walking.

After Phyllis had looked over some papers, made up her weekly report,
and outlined on the board work for next day, she saddled her pony and
set out homeward. Not in ten years had the country been so green and
lovely as it was now. There had been many winter snows and spring rains,
so that the _alfilaria_ covered the hills with a carpet of grass. Muddy
little rivulets, pouring down arroyos on their way from the mo