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"Texas was overstocked with bad men an' fine steers," concluded Blaisdell "Most of the first an' soot distributin' points for wool an' sheep at Maricopa an' Phoenix They're shore waxin' strong an' bold"

"Ahuh!An' what's likely to come of this mess?" queried Jean

"Ask your dad," replied Blaisdell

"I will But I reckon I'd be obliged for your opinion"

"Wal, short an' sweet it's this: Texas cattlee they stocked to be overrun by sheepmen"

"Who's this man Greaves?" went on Jean "Never run into anyone like hiure He's a snaky custoood to the poor people 'round heah Says he's from Missouri Ha-ha! He's as much Texan as I am He rode into the Tonto without even a pack to his nahts supplies in froood deal of stock For a while it looked like he was steerin' a middle course between cattlemen an' sheepmen Both sides rievances of each Laterly he's leanin' to the sheepmen Nobody has accused him of that yet But it's time some cattleman called his bluff"

"Of course there are honest an' square sheepmen in the Basin?" queried Jean

"Yes, an' some of them are not unreasonable But the new fellows that dropped in on us the last few year--they're the ones we're goin' to clash with"

"This--sheepman, Jorth?" went on Jean, in slow hesitation, as if compelled to ask what he would rather not learn

"Jorth must be the leader of this sheep faction that's harryin' us ranchers He doesn't oes on raisin' an' buyin' razin' down all around us this winter Jorth's got to be reckoned with"

"Who is he?"

"Wal, I don't know enough to talk aboot Your dad never said so, but I think he an' Jorth knew each other in Texas years ago I never saw Jorth but once That was in Greaves's barroom Your dad an' Jorth met that day for the first time in this country Wal, I've not known men for nothin' They just stood stiff an' looked at each other Your dad was aboot to draw But Jorth un"