He now squinted at Lawler, watching him keenly.

"Accordin' to report Joe Hamlin ought to go around draggin' one of them
monitors."

Blackburn shrewdly noted the quickening of Lawler's eyes, and the dull
red that stole into his face.

"What do you mean, Blackburn?"

"Davies an' Harris hit town ag'in last night; an' comin' back they run
plumb into Joe Hamlin. He was in the upper end of the box arroyo. He'd
roped an' hog-tied a Circle L cow an' was blottin' our brand out."

"What happened?" Lawler's lips were set in grim lines.

"Nothin'--followin' your orders regardin' the cuss. Davies an' Harris
let him go--after warnin' him. Somethin' ought to be done. It ain't
addin' a heap to the morals of the outfit for the men to know a man can
rustle cattle that promiscuous--an' the boss not battin' an eyewinker.
This is the fourth time he's been caught with the goods--to say nothin'
of the times he's done it without nobody gittin' wise--an' the boys is
beginnin' to ask questions, bein' a heap puzzled because somethin' don't
happen to Joe."

Lawler's face was expressionless. Except for the flush in his cheeks he
seemed to be unaffected by Blackburn's words. His voice was a trifle
cold when he spoke:

"I'll attend to Hamlin. I'll stop at the Two Bar on my way to Willets.