being owned by his foreman and
employees. To Farrel, therefore, these sheep were awarded, and in some
occult manner Don Nicolas Sandoval selected them from the flock; then,
acting under instructions from Farrel, he sold the sheep back to
Loustalot at something like a dollar a head under the market value and
leased to the amazed Basque for one year the grazing privilege on the
Rancho Palomar. In return for the signing of this lease and the
payment of the lease money in advance, Farrel executed to Loustalot a
satisfaction in full of the unpaid portion of the judgment. "For," as
the sheriff remarked to Farrel, "while you hold the balance of that
judgment over this fellow's head your own head is in danger. It is
best to conciliate him, for you will never again have an opportunity to
levy against his assets."

"I think you're right, Don Nicolas," Farrel agreed. "I can never feel
wholly safe until I strike a truce with that man. Tell him I'll give
him back his eight thousand dollar automobile if he will agree on his
own behalf and that of his employees, agents and friends, not to
bushwhack me or any person connected with me."

"I have already made him a tentative offer to that effect, my boy, and,
now that the first flush of his rage is over, he is a coyote lacking
the courage to kill. He will agree to your proposal, and I shall take
occasion to warn him that if he should ever break his word while I am
living, I shall consider, in view of the fact that I am the mediator in
this matter, that he has broken faith with me, and I shall act
accordingly."

The arrangement with Loustalot was therefore made, and immediately upon
his return to the ranch Farrel, knowing that the sheep would spoil his
range for the few hundred head of cattle that still remained of the
thousands that once had roamed El Palomar, rounded up these cattle and
sold them. And it was in the performance of this duty that he
discovered during the roundup, on the trail leading from the hacienda
to Agua Caliente basin, a rectangular piece of paper. It lay, somewhat
weather-stained, face up beside the trail, and because it resembled a
check, he leaned easily from his horse and picked it up. To his
amazement he discovered it to be a promissory note, in the sum of fifty
thousand dollars, in favor of Kay Parker and signed by William D.
Conway.

Pablo was beating the thickets in the river bottom, searching out some
spring calves he knew were lurking there