"This is how it was, Steve," explained Dick. "Word came that Campeau
was going to move his sheep into the Squaw Creek district. Sheep never
had run there. It was understood the range there was for our cattle.
We had set a dead line, and warned them not to cross it. Naturally, it
made us sore when we heard about Campeau.

"So some of us gathered together hastily and rode over. Our intentions
were declared. We meant to drive the sheep back and patrol the dead
line. It was solemnly agreed that there was to be no shooting, not
even of sheep."

The story halted here for a moment before Howard took it up again.
"Things don't always come out the way you figure them. We didn't
anticipate any trouble. We outnumbered them two to one. We had the
advantage of the surprise. You couldn't guess that for anything but a
cinch, could you?"

"And it turned out different?"

"One of us stumbled over a rock as we were creeping forward. Campeau
heard us and drew. The first shot came from them. Now, I'm going to
tell you something you're to keep under your own hat. It will surprise
you a heap when I tell you that one man on our side did all the
damage. He was at the haid of the line, and it happens he is a dead
shot. He is liable to rages, when he acts like a crazy man. He got one
now. Before we could put a stopper on him, he had killed Campeau and
Jennings, and wounded the herders. The whole thing was done before you
could wink an eye six times. For just about that long we stood there
like roped calves. Then we downed the man in his tracks, slammed him
with the butt of a revolver."