Brill. Malpais has been expressin' its opinion right plain. You've
arrived in time to chirp in with a 'Me, too.'"

Healy had evidently just ridden up, for he was still in the saddle. He
relaxed into one of the easy attitudes used by men of the plains to rest
themselves without dismounting.

"You know my sentiments, Jim," he replied, not unamiably.

"Sure I know them. Plumb dissatisfied with me, ain't you? Makes me feel
awful bad." Jim was sailing into the full tide of his sarcasm when
Keller touched him on the shoulder.

"I'd like to see you for a moment, Mr. Yeager, if you can give me the
time," he said.

Healy took in the nester with an eye of jade. "Your twin brother wants
you, Jim. Run along with him. Don't mind us."

"I won't, Brill."

The young man rose, and sauntered off with the Bear Creek settler. At
the corral fence, some fifty yards from the house, he stopped under the
shade of a live oak, and put his arms on the top rail. He had allowed
himself to show no sign of it, but he resented this claim upon him that
seemed to ally him further with the enemy.

"Here I am, Mr. Keller. What can I do for you?"

"You're a friend of Miss Sanderson. You would stand between her and