"You sure look--you're a picture, Miss Hammond. That
riding-outfit is a new one. What it 'd look like on me or
another woman I can't imagine, but on you it's--it's stunning.
Bill won't let you go within a mile of the cowboys. If they see
you that'll be the finish of the round-up."

While they rode down the slope Florence talked about the open
ranges of New Mexico and Arizona.

"Water is scarce," she said. "If Bill could afford to pipe water
down from the mountains he'd have the finest ranch in the
valley."

She went on to tell that the climate was mild in winter and hot
in summer. Warm, sunshiny days prevailed nearly all the year
round. Some summers it rained, and occasionally there would be a
dry year, the dreaded ano seco of the Mexicans. Rain was always
expected and prayed for in the midsummer months, and when it came
the grama-grass sprang up, making the valleys green from mountain
to mountain. The intersecting valleys, ranging between the long
slope of foothills, afforded the best pasture for cattle, and
these were jealously sought by the Mexicans who had only small
herds to look after. Stillwell's cowboys were always chasing
these vaqueros off land that belonged to Stillwell. He owned
twenty thousand acres of unfenced land adjoining the open range.
Don Carlos possessed more acreage than that, and his cattle were
always mingling with Stillwell's. And in turn Don Carlos's
vaqueros were always chasing Stillwell's cattle away from the
Mexican's watering-place. Bad feeling had been manifested for
years, and now relations were strained to the breaking-point.