Torrance?"

"Yes, indeed. You're looking well, Jim."

In the office they shook hands again.

"It's a long time," said Torrance, proffering a cigar. "You were
punching cattle for the Box S and I was a forest ranger those days. Did
Mexico get too hot?"

"Warm. What's the boy doing down here?"

"He seems to be keeping out of the way of the sheriff," laughed
Torrance. "Incidentally he applied for a position as ranger."

"Did he? I'm glad of that. I was afraid he might get to riding the high
trails. He's got it in him."

"You seem to know him pretty well."

"Not so well as I would like to. I'm his father."

"Why, I had no idea--but, come to think of it, he does resemble you. I
didn't know that you were married."

"Yes. I married Annie Adams, of Las Cruces. He's our boy."

Torrance saw that Waring did not care to talk further on the subject of
his married life. And Torrance recalled the fact that Mrs. Adams, who
lived in Stacey, had been in Mexico.

"He's a live one," said Torrance. "I think I'll take him on."

"I don't ask you to, John. He's got to play the game for himself. He may
not always do right, but he'll always do what he thinks is right, if I
am any judge. And he won't waste time doing it. I told Hardy's deputy on
the way down that he might as well give up running after the boy. Hardy
is pretty sore. Did Lorry tell you?"

"Yes. And I can understand his side of it."

"I think that little Weston girl dazzled him," said Waring. "She's
clever, and Lorry hasn't seen many of her kind. I think he would have
stayed right in Stacey and faced the music if she hadn't been there when
Hardy tried to arrest him. Lorry is only eighteen. He had to show off a
little."

"Will Hardy follow it up?"

"Not too strong. The folks in Stacey are giving Hardy the laugh. He's
not so popular as he might be."

"I can't say that I blame Hardy, either. The boy was wrong."

"Not a bit. Lorry was wrong."

"It will blow over," said Torrance. "I had no idea he was your son."

Waring leaned back in his chair. "John, I had two reasons for coming
down here. One was to get my horse. That's settled. Now I want to talk
about leasing a few thousand acres down this way, with water-rights. I'm
through with the other game. I want to run a few cattle in here, under
fence. I think it will pay."

Torrance shook his head. "The Mormons and the Apaches will keep you
poor, Jim."

"They might, if I tried it alone. But I have a partner jus