e and hatred against the nester. It was war, to be sure. But
now that Doubler had shown in no unmistakable manner that he had not been
trifling the day before, Langford was no longer in doubt as to the method
he would have to employ in his attempt to gain possession of his land.
Doubler, he felt, had made the choice.

The ride to the ranchhouse took long, but by the time Langford arrived
there he had regained his composure, saying nothing to anyone concerning
his adventure.

For three days he kept his own counsel, riding out alone, taciturn, giving
much thought to the situation. Sheila had intended to speak to him
regarding the trouble with Doubler, but his manner repulsed her and she
kept silent, hoping that the mood would pass. However, the mood did not
pass. Langford continued to ride out alone, maintaining a moody silence,
sitting alone much with his own thoughts and allowing no one to break down
the barrier of taciturnity which he had erected.

On the morning of the fifth day after his adventure with Doubler he was
sitting on the ranchhouse gallery with Duncan, enjoying an after-breakfast
cigar, when he said casually to the latter:

"I take it that folks in this country are mighty careless with their
weapons."

Duncan grinned. "You might call it careless," he returned. "No doubt there
are people--people who come out here from the East--who think that a man
who carries a gun out here is careless with it. But I reckon that when a
man draws a gun here he draws it with a pretty definite purpose."

"I have heard," continued Langford slowly, "that there are men in this
country who do not hesitate to kill other people for money."

"Meaning that there are road agents and such?" questioned Duncan.

"Naturally, that particular kind would be included. I meant, however
another kind--I believe they are called 'bad men,' are they not? Men who
kill for hire?"

Duncan cast a furtive glance at Langford out of the corners of his eyes,
but could draw no conclusions concerning the latter's motive in asking the
question from the expression of his face.

"Such men drift in occasionally," he returned, convinced that Langford's
curiosity was merely casual--as Langford desired him to consider it.
"Usually, though, they don't stay long."

"I suppose there are none of that breed around here--in Lazette, for
instance. It struck me that Dakota was extraordinarily handy with a gun."

He puffed long at his cigar and saw that, though