with you. I have ordered my sheep back across the deadline. You
can have this range to yourself for your cattle. The fight's off
so far as we personally are concerned."

A hint of deeper color touched her cheeks. Her manner had been
cavalier at best; for the most part frankly hostile; and all the
time the man was on an errand of good-will. Certainly he had
scored at her expense, and she was ashamed of herself.

"Y'u mean that you're going to respect the deadline? asked Mac in
surprise.

"I didn't say quite that," explained the sheepman. "What I said
was that I meant to keep on my side of it so far as the Lazy D
cattle are concerned. I'll let your range alone."

"But y'u mean to cross it down below where the Bar Double-E cows
run?"

Bannister's gay smile touched the sardonic face. "Do you invite
the public to examine your hand when you sit into a game of
poker, Mr. McWilliams?"

"You're dead right. It's none of my business what y'u do so long
as y'u keep off our range," admitted the foreman. "And next time
the conversation happens on Mr. Bannister, I'll put in my little
say-so that he ain't all black."

"That's very good of you, sir," was the other's ironical retort.