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"Say, Bruce," said Daggs, "was this heah palaverin' of yours an' Jean Isbel's aboot the old stock dispute? Aboot his father's range an' water? An' partickler aboot, sheep?"

"Wal--I--I yelled a heap," declared Bruce, haltingly, "but I don't recollect all I said--I was riled Shore, though it was the sayment thet's been fetchin' us closer an' closer to trouble"

Daggs reaze from Bruce "Wal, Jorth, all I'll say is this If Bruce is tellin' the truth we ain't got a hell of a lot to fear frohters in my day An' Jean Isbel don't ran true to class Shore there never was a gunin' anybody"

"Wal," broke in Bruce, sullenly "You-all can take it daid straight or not I don't give a daot my hunch thet Nez Perce Isbel is liable to handle any of you fellars jest as he did ered An' you-all know thet Greaves is as deep in--"

"Shut up that kind of gab," demanded Jorth, stridently "An' answer me Was the row in Greaves's barroom aboot sheep?"

"Aw, hell! I said so, didn't I?" shouted Bruce, with a fierce uplift of his distorted face

Ellen strode out from the shadow of the tall men who had obscured her

"Bruce, y'u're a liar," she said, bitingly

The surprise of her sudden appearance seemed to root Bruce to the spot All but the discolored places on his face turned white He held his breath a moment, then expelled it hard His effort to recover from the shock was painfully obvious He stammered incoherently

"Shore y'u'reeyes And the rifle, gripped in both hands, seemed to declare her intent of menace "That roas not about sheep Jean Isbel didn't beat y'u for anythin' about sheep Old John Sprague was in Greaves's store He heard y'u He saw Jean Isbel beat y'u as y'u deserved An' he told ME!"

Ellen saw Bruce shrink in fear of his life; and despite her fury she was filled with disgust that he could iine she would have his blood on her hands Then she divined that Bruce sawstorm in her father's eyes than he had to fear from her

"Girl, what the hell are y'u sayin'?" hoarsely called Jorth, in dark amaze