And he stamped out of the dining-room ahead of the rest of the men,
his head down, his brows black. Lew Hervey, following with the other
men, had noted everything. It behooved him to be on the watch during
the time of trial and triumph and at breakfast he had observed Red
Perris looking at the girl a dozen times with an anticipatory smile
which changed straightway to glumness when her glance passed him
carelessly by. And now Hervey communicated his opinions to the others
on the way to the bunkhouse to get their things for the day's riding.

"Our new friend, the gun-fighter," he said, pointedly emphasizing the
last phrase, "ain't none too happy this morning. Marianne give him a
smile last night and he was waiting for another this morning. He sure
looks cut up, eh?"

The bowed head and rounded shoulders of Red Perris brought a chuckle
from the cowpunchers. They were not at all kindly disposed towards
him. Too much reputation is a bad thing for a man to have on his hands
in the West. He is apt to be expected to live up to it every moment of
his waking hours. Not a man in the Valley of the Eagles outfit but was
waiting to see the newcomer make the first move towards bullying one
of them. And such a move they were prepared to resent en masse. That
Marianne might have made a good deal of a fool out of Perris, as
Hervey suggested, pleased them immensely.

"Maybe the ranch suits him pretty well," suggested Slim, ironically.
"Maybe he figures it might be worth his while to pick it up by
marrying the old man's girl. Eh, Lew?"

Lew Hervey shrugged his shoulders. He did not wish to directly accuse