but now its original neatness and orderliness came back to
him vividly.

He was mentally rehabilitating the cabin when a boot-heel crunched on
the ground outside and Andy appeared in the doorway. "The T-Bar-T boys
are comin'. Seen 'em driftin' down the Ranger Trail."

"They was to be here this mornin'," said Pete. "Reckon they aim to
bush here all night and ride to-morrow. Hope they brought some grub
along."

"We got plenty. Come on outside. This here ole room kind o' gits on
my nerves."

Pete strode out. They stood watching the approaching riders. Suddenly
Andy White touched Pete's arm. "One of 'em is Gary!" he said, speaking
low.

Pete stopped and, picking up a clod, jerked it toward a fence-post.
The clod happened to hit the post and was flicked into dust. "That for
Gary," said Pete.

Andy grinned, but his eyes were grave. "We'll be right busy," he said
in a sort of tentative way.

Pete nodded and hitched up his chaps. One of the approaching horsemen
waved a hand. Andy acknowledged the salute.

The T-Bar-T men rode in and dismounted. "Where's Bailey?" was Gary's
first word.

"Jim sent us to fix up that line with you," replied Andy. "He's over
to Enright."

Gary glanced at Pete, who stared at him, but made no gesture of
greeting. But Pete had read Gary's unspoken thought. "Bailey had sent
a couple of kids over to the Blue to help survey the line." And Pete
did not intend to let Gary "get by" with the idea that his attitude was
not understood.

"Where's Houck?" asked Pete, naming the foreman of the T-Bar-T.

Cotton, Gary's companion, a light-haired, amiable but rather dull
youth, stated that Houck was over to the ranch.

"I reckoned he'd come hisself," said Pete. "He knows this country
better 'n most."

"Oh, I dunno," sneered Gary. "Some of us been here before."

"They wasn't no line then," said Pete quietly, "but they's goin' to be
one."

"You makin' it?" queried Gary.

Pete smiled. "I was sent over here with Andy to do that same thing.
But you're sure welcome to hand out any idees you got, seein' your
fo'man ain't here."

Andy, who saw the inevitable end of this kind of talk, nudged Pete.
"Let's eat," he said. "I reckon we're all willin'."

Gary, like most of his type, was always anticipating an insult,
possibly because his general attitude toward humanity was deliberately
intended to provoke argument and recrimination. He was naturally
quarrelsome--and a bully beca