strict. Nor
were these depredations of an extensive nature. Cattle disappeared in
small bunches of from ten to forty head, but the persistence with
which the thefts occurred soon set the aggregate mounting up to a
large figure.

The "AZ's" lost two more bunches of cattle within a week. The
"[diamond] P's" followed up with their quota of forty head, which set
"old man" Blundell raving through the district like a mad bull. Then
came a raid on the "U--U's." Sandy McIntosh cursed the rustlers in the
broadest Scotch, and set out to scour the country with his boys.
Another ranch to suffer was the "crook-bar," but they, like the
"TT's," couldn't tell the extent of their losses definitely, and
estimated them at close on to thirty head of three-year-old beeves.

The village seethed, furious with indignation. For years Barnriff had
been clear of this sort of thing, and, as a consequence, the place had
been left to bask in the sun of commercial prosperity consequent upon
the thriving condition of the surrounding ranches. Now, that
prosperity was threatened. If the ranches suffered Barnriff must
suffer with them. Men spoke of a vigilance committee. But they spoke
of it without any real enthusiasm. The truth was they were afraid of
inaugurating an affair of that sort. There was scarcely a man in the
place but had at some time in his life felt the despotic tyranny of a
vigilance committee. Though they felt that such an organization was
the only way to cope with the prevailing trouble they cordially
dreaded it.

Then, in the midst of all this to-do, came the news of Will's rich
strike in the hills. He had discovered a "placer" which was yielding a
profit of fabulous dimensions. Of how rich his strike really was no
one seemed to possess any very definite information. In the calm light
of day men spoke of a handsome living wage, but, as the day wore on,
and Silas Rocket's whiskey did its work, Will's possible wealth
generally ended in wild visions of millions of dollars.

Under this inspiring news the commercial mind of Barnriff was stirred;
it was lifted out of the despondency into which the news of the
cattle-stealing had plunged it. It cleaned off its rust and began to
oil its joints and look to its tools. With the first news it,
metaphorically, "reared up." Then Will came into town with a bag of
dust and nuggets, and the optical demonstration set lips smacking and
eyes gleaming with envy and covetousness. They asked "Where?" Bu