across his
long nose now and then. At last it burst from him:

"You done it!" he said, with the astonished pleasure of a man assured
against his doubts.

Mackenzie checked his horse, looking at Tim in perplexed inquiry.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"You laid him out--Swan Carlson--you done it! Man!"

"Oh, you're still talking about that," Mackenzie said, a bit vexed.

"It would be worth thousands to the rest of us sheepmen on this range
if he never comes back."

"Why didn't some of you handle him long ago? A man of your build ought
to be able to put a dent in Carlson."

"I'll fight any man that stands on two feet," said Tim, with such
sincerity that it could not have been taken for a boast, "you can ask
about me far and near, but I draw the line at the devil. I've stood up
with four men against me, with meat cleavers and butcher knives in
their hands, when I used to work as a sheep butcher back in the
packin' house in Chicago, and I've come through with my life. But them
was friends of mine," he sighed; "a man knew how they lived. Swan
Carlson's got a wolf's blood in his veins. He ain't a human man."

"And this man is worth three hundred thousand dollars!" thought
Mackenzie. And he knew, also, that the greatest treasure that the
flockmaster could count was one not so greatly appreciated as a
thousand sheep--that brave, ambitious little rebel, Joan.

"Maybe you've got the makin' of a sheepman in you," Tim said,
thoughtfully, as they came in sight of the hay. "I've got an old man I
could put you under till the dogs got used to you and you learnt their
ways and found out something among the thousand things a man's got to
know if he intends to make a success of runnin' sheep. Old Dad Frazer
could put you onto the tricks of the trade quicker than any man I
know. Maybe you _have_ got the makin' of a sheepman in you. I'll have
to think it over."

Tim took the four days they were at the hay to think about it. At the
end of that time, with the hay in stack and the mowing-machine loaded
into the wagon for the rough journey to the ranch, Tim unburdened his
mind.

"I've decided to try you out, John," he announced, but shaking his
head as he spoke, as if he doubted the wisdom of the venture. "I'll
leave you here with Dad Frazer--he's over on Horsethief, about six
miles across from Joan's range--and let him break you in. You
understand, you don't go in on shares till you're able to handle at
least two th