and fought it out.

Into the room sauntered Lee. "Hello, 'Lissie. Been looking for you an
hour, honey. Mornin', Norris. Howdy, Jack! Dad burn yore ornery hide, I
ain't see you long enough for a good talk in a coon's age."

Melissy seized on her father joyfully as an interposition of Providence.
"Father, this is Miss Yarnell, the young lady I told you about."

The ranchman buried her little hand in his big paw. "Right glad to meet up
with you, Miss Yarnell. How do you like Arizona by this time? I reckon
Melissy has introduced you to her friends. No? Make you acquainted with
Mr. Flatray. Shake hands with Mr. Norris, Miss Yarnell. Where are you,
Norris?"

The owner of the Bar Double G swung round, to discover for the first time
that harmony was not present. Boone stood back with a sullen vindictive
expression on his face.

"Why, what's up, boys?" the rancher asked, his glance passing from one to
another.

"You ain't in this, Lee," Boone informed him. Then, to Flatray: "See you
later."

The deputy nodded carelessly. "Any time you like."

The lank old Confederate took a step forward to call Boone back, but
Melissy caught him by the sleeve.

"Let him go," she whispered emphatically.

"I know my boss," returned Lee with a laugh.

"If you're quite through with me, Miss Lee, I'll not intrude longer,"
Flatray said.

"But I'm not," spoke Melissy quickly.

She did not intend to let him get away to settle his quarrel with Boone.

"I'm rather busy," he suggested.

"Your business will have to wait," she came back decisively.

Lee laughed and clapped Jack on the shoulder. "Might as well know your
boss too, boy."

Melissy flushed with a flash of temper. "I'm nothing of the kind, dad."

"Sho! A joke's a joke, girl. That's twice hand-runnin' I get a call-down.
You're mighty high-heeled to-day, 'pears like."

Jack smiled grimly. He understood some things that were hidden from Lee.

CHAPTER XIV

CONCERNING THE BOONE-BELLAMY-YARNELL FEUD

The story that Ferne Yarnell told them in the parlor of the hotel had its
beginnings far back in the days before the great war. They had been
neighbors, these three families, had settled side by side in this new land
of Arkansas, had hunted and feasted together in amity. In an hour had
arisen the rift between them that was to widen to a chasm into which much
blood had since been spilt. It began with a quarrel between hotheaded
young men. Forty years later it was still ru