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there were men in his wagon train that got run out of Texas； but he
swore he wasn't one of them。 So I reckon that sort of talk held good
for twenty years； an' for all the Texans who emigrated； except； of
course； such notorious rustlers as Daggs an' men of his ilk。 Shore
we've got some bad men heah。 There's no law。 Possession used to
mean more than it does now。 Daggs an' his Hash Knife Gang have begun
to hold forth with a high hand。 No small rancher can keep enough
stock to pay for his labor。〃
At the time of which Blaisdell spoke there were not many sheepmen
and cattlemen in the Tonto； considering its vast area。 But these；
on account of the extreme wildness of the broken country； were limited
to the comparatively open Grass Valley and its adjacent environs。
Naturally； as the inhabitants increased and stock raising grew in
proportion the grazing and water rights became matters of extreme
importance。 Sheepmen ran their flocks up on the Rim in summer time
and down into the Basin in winter time。 A sheepman could throw a few
thousand sheep round a cattleman's ranch and ruin him。 The range was
free。 It was as fair for sheepmen to graze their herds anywhere as it
was for cattlemen。 This of course did not apply to the few acres of
cultivated ground that a rancher could call his own； but very few
cattle could have been raised on such limited area。 Blaisdell said
that the sheepmen were unfair because they could have done just as well；
though perhaps at more labor； by keeping to the ridges and leaving the
open valley and little flats to the ranchers。 Formerly there had been
room enough for all； now the grazing ranges were being encroached upon
by sheepmen newly come to the Tonto。 To Blaisdell's way of thinking
the rustler menace was more serious than the sheeping…off of the range；
for the simple reason that no cattleman knew exactly who the rustlers
were and for the more complex and significant reason that the rustlers
did not steal sheep。
〃Texas was overstocked with bad men an' fine steers；〃 concluded
Blaisdell。 〃Most of the first an' some of the last have struck the
Tonto。 The sheepmen have now got distributin' points for wool an'
sheep at Maricopa an' Phoenix。 They're shore waxin' strong an' bold。〃
〃Ahuh！ 。 。 。 An' what's likely to come of this mess？〃 queried Jean。
〃Ask your dad；〃 replied Blaisdell。
〃I will。 But I reckon I'd be obliged for your opinion。〃
〃Wal； short an' sweet it's this： Texas cattlemen will never allow
the range they stocked to be overrun by sheepmen。〃
〃Who's this man Greaves？〃 went on Jean。 〃Never run into anyone
like him。〃
〃Greaves is hard to figure。 He's a snaky customer in deals。 But he
seems to be good to the poor people 'round heah。 Says he's from
Missouri。 Ha…ha！ He's as much Texan as I am。 He rode into the
Tonto without even a pack to his name。 An' presently he builds his
stone house an' freights supplies in from Phoenix。 Appears to buy
an' sell a good deal of stock。 For a while it looked like he was
steerin' a middle course between cattlemen an' sheepmen。 Both sides
made a rendezvous of his store； where he heard the grievances of each。
Laterly he's leanin' to the sheepmen。 Nobody has accused him of that
yet。 But it's time some cattleman called his bluff。〃
〃Of course there are honest an' square sheepmen in the Basin？〃
queried Jean。
〃Yes； an' some of them are not unreasonable。 But the new fellows that
dropped in on us the last few yearthey're the ones we're goin' to
clash with。〃
〃Thissheepman； Jorth？〃 went on Jean； in slow hesitation； as if
compelled to ask what he would rather not learn。
〃Jorth must be the leader of this sheep faction that's harryin' us
ranchers。 He doesn't make threats or roar around like some of them。
But he goes on raisin' an' buyin' more an' more sheep。 An' his herders
have been grazin' down all around us this winter。 Jorth's got to be
reckoned with。〃
〃Who is he？〃
〃Wal； I don't know enough to talk aboot。 Your dad never said so；
but I think he an' Jorth knew each other in Texas years ago。 I never
saw Jorth but once。 That was in Greaves's barroom。 Your dad an' Jorth
met that day for the first time in this country。 Wal； I've not known
men for nothin'。 They just stood stiff an' looked at each other。
Your dad was aboot to draw。 But Jorth made no sign to throw a gun。
Jean saw the growing and weaving and thickening threads of a tangle
that had already involved him。 And the sudden pang of regret he
sustained was not wholly because of sympathies with his own people。
〃The other day back up in the woods on the Rim I ran into a sheepman
who said his name was Colter。 Who is he？
〃Colter？ Shore he's a new one。 What'd he look like？ 〃
Jean described Colter with a readiness that spoke volumes for the
vividness of his impressions。
〃I don't know him；〃 replied Blaisdell。 〃But that only goes to prove
my contentionany fellow runnin' wild in the woods can say he's a
sheepman。〃
〃Colter surprised me by callin' me by my name；〃 continued Jean。
〃Our little talk wasn't exactly friendly。 He said a lot about my
bein' sent for to run sheep herders out of the country。〃
〃Shore that's all over；〃 replied Blaisdell； seriously。 〃You're a
marked man already。〃
〃What started such rumor？〃
〃Shore you cain't prove it by me。 But it's not taken as rumor。
It's got to the sheepmen as hard as bullets。〃
〃Ahuh！ That accunts for Colter's seemin' a little sore under the
collar。 Well； he said they were goin' to run sheep over Grass Valley；
an' for me to take that hunch to my dad。〃
Blaisdell had his chair tilted back and his heavy boots against a post
of the porch。 Down he thumped。 His neck corded with a sudden rush of
blood and his eyes changed to blue fire。
〃The hell he did！〃 he ejaculated； in furious amaze。
Jean gauged the brooding； rankling hurt of this old cattleman by his
sudden break from the cool； easy Texan manner。 Blaisdell cursed under
his breath； swung his arms violently； as if to throw a last doubt or
hope aside； and then relapsed to his former state。 He laid a brown
hand on Jean's knee。
〃Two years ago I called the cards；〃 he said； quietly。 〃It means
a Grass Valley war。〃
Not until late that afternoon did Jean's father broach the subject
uppermost in his mind。 Then at an opportune moment he drew Jean away
into the cedars out of sight。
〃Son； I shore hate to make your home…comin' unhappy；〃 he said；
with evidence of agitation； 〃but so help me God I have to do it！〃
〃Dad； you called me Prodigal； an' I reckon you were right。 I've
shirked my duty to you。 I'm ready now to make up for it；〃 replied
Jean； feelingly。
〃Wal； wal； shore thats fine…spoken； my boy。 。 。 。 Let's set down heah
an' have a long talk。 First off； what did Jim Blaisdell tell you？〃
Briefly Jean outlined the neighbor rancher's conversation。 Then Jean
recounted his experience with Colter and concluded with Blaisdell's
reception of the sheepman's threat。 If Jean expected to see his father
rise up like a lion in his wrath he made a huge mistake。 This news of
Colter and his talk never struck even a spark from Gaston Isbel。
〃Wal；〃 he began