y to
Jean Isbel. He seen thet quick enough, but he didn't leave. Between
you an' me I sort of took a likin' to him. An' I sure watched him as
close as I could, not seemin' to, you know. Reckon they all did the
same, only you couldn't see it. It got jest about the same as if Isbel
hedn't been in thar, only you knowed it wasn't really the same. Thet
was how I got the hunch the crowd was all sheepmen or their friends.
The day before I'd heerd a lot of talk about this young Isbel, an' what
he'd come to Grass Valley fer, an' what a bad hombre he was. An' when
I seen him I was bound to admit he looked his reputation.

"Wal, pretty soon in come two more fellars, an' I knowed both of them.
You know them, too, I'm sorry to say. Fer I'm comin' to facts now thet
will shake you. The first fellar was your father's Mexican foreman,
Lorenzo, and the other was Simm Bruce. I reckon Bruce wasn't drunk,
but he'd sure been lookin' on red licker. When he seen Isbel darn me
if he didn't swell an' bustle all up like a mad ole turkey gobbler.

"'Greaves,' he said, 'if thet fellar's Jean Isbel I ain't hankerin' fer
the company y'u keep.' An' he made no bones of pointin' right at
Isbel. Greaves looked up dry an' sour an' he bit out spiteful-like:
'Wal, Simm, we ain't hed a hell of a lot of choice in this heah matter.
Thet's Jean Isbel shore enough. Mebbe you can persuade him thet his
company an' his custom ain't wanted round heah!'

"Jean Isbel set on the counter an took it all in, but he didn't say
nothin'. The way he looked at Bruce was sure enough fer me to see thet
thar might be a surprise any minnit. I've looked at a lot of men in my
day, an' can sure feel events comin'. Bruce got himself a stiff drink
an' then he straddles over the floor in front of Isbel.

"'Air you Jean Isbel, son of ole Gass Isbel?' asked Bruce, sort of
lolling back an' givin' a hitch to his belt.

"'Yes sir, you've identified me,' said Isbel, nice an' polite.

"'My name's Bruce. I'm rangin' sheep heahaboots, an' I hev interest in
Kurnel Lee Jorth's bizness.'

"'Hod do, Mister Bruce,' replied Isbel, very civil ant cool as you
please. Bruce hed an eye fer the crowd thet was now listenin' an'
watchin'. He swaggered closer to Isbel.

"'We heerd y'u come into the Tonto Basin to run us sheepmen off the
range. How aboot thet?'

"'Wal, you heerd wrong,' said Isbel, quietly. 'I came to work fer my
father. Thet work depends on what happens.'

"