heard smothered exclamations on all sides of him. He
came to the barred gateway and peered over at the cattle inside.

The first thing that caught his eye was the broadside of a big steer.
On its shoulder was a brand, at which he stared first incredulously,
but presently with horrified amazement. It was the familiar "[double
star]." He looked at others. Everywhere he saw his own brand,
"double-star twice," as it was popularly known, on cattle which he
recognized at a glance as being some of his employer's finest
half-bred Polled Angus stock.

His feelings at that moment were indescribable. Astonishment,
incredulity, anger all battled for place, and the outcome of them all
was a laugh at once mirthless and angry. He turned on the two men
waiting with their shouldered saddles.

"I'll take your report--up at the shack." And he pointed at his hut,
fifty yards away.

The men moved off obediently. And Jim, left to his own unpleasant
thoughts, followed them up.

Half-way to the hut he was joined by McLagan. The Irishman had seen
the cattle come in, and was anxious to learn the particulars. His
manner, after his recent ill-humor, was almost jocular. He realized
that these were cattle he had lost.

"Say, Jim, those boys have picked up a dandy bunch of the lost ones.
How many?"

But the foreman's humor did not by any means fit in with his
employer's.

"Didn't count 'em," he said shortly. "I'm just getting the boys'
report. You best come along. It looks like being interesting." Just
for a moment a half-smile lit his face.

Dan glanced at him out of the tail of his eyes and fell in beside him.
His foreman's manner was new, and he wondered at it. However, Jim made
no effort to open his lips again until they reached the hut.

When they came up the boys were waiting outside the door. Jim promptly
led the way in, angrily conscious of the meaning looks which passed
between them.

Once inside, and Dan had seated himself on the bed, Jim called the two
men in.

"Come along in, boys," he cried, and his manner had become more usual.
He understood their attitude now, and somehow he found himself
sympathizing with their evident suspicions. After all, he had grown
into a thorough cattleman. "Speak up, lads. Let's get the yarn. The
boss wants to hear where you found those cattle of his--re-branded
with my own brand."

McLagan sat up with a jerk.

"Eh?"

His face was a study. But chiefly it expressed a belief that he was
b