If he had spoken to them while they had been moving about on their
different errands, telling them that henceforth he was to manage the
Rancho Seco, they would have given him scant attention. Also, he would
not have been able to study their faces as he had studied them while they
had been watching him, and he would not have gained the knowledge of
their characters that he now possessed.

Besides, a humorous malice possessed Harlan--he wanted to view them
collectively when he gave them his news, to note the various ways in
which they would receive it.

Absolute silence greeted Harlan's forward movement. He could hear the
labored breathing of some of the men--men of violent temper who sensed
trouble--and his grin grew broad as he halted within a dozen feet of the
group.

"Boys," he said, slowly, "you've got a new boss. It's me. A day or so
ago, crossin' from Pardo, I run into a ruckus at Sentinel Rock. Lane
Morgan was the center of the ruckus--an' he got perforated--plenty. But
before he cashed in he got a gleam of downright sense an' told me he'd
been lookin' for me, to make me manager of the Rancho Seco.

"I'm reckonin' to be manager--beginnin' now. If there's any of you men
that ain't admirin' to do the jumpin' when I yap orders to you, you're
doin' your gassin' right now. Them that's pinin' to work under me is sure
of a square deal, beginnin' now, and continuin' henceforth. I reckon
that's all."

Into Harlan's eyes as he talked had come that vacuous light that had been
in them when he had faced Deveny's men in Lamo--the light that was always
in his eyes whenever he faced more than one man, with trouble imminent.

He saw the face of every man in the group--while seeming not to be
looking at any of them. He noted the various shades of expression that
came into their faces as they digested his words, he saw how some of them
watched him with sober interest and how others permitted themselves a
sneer of incredulity or dislike.

He noted that a tall, slender, swarthy man on the extreme left of the
group watched him with a malevolent gaze, his eyes flaming hate; he saw a
black-haired, hook-nosed fellow near the center of the group watching him
with a grin of cold contempt.

It seemed to Harlan that a fair proportion of the men were willing to
acknowledge his authority--for they were frankly studying him, ready to
greet him as their employer. Many others, however, were as frankly
hostile.

After Harlan ceased spe