grass.
Connie Duane was disturbed. She had seen the messenger come to her uncle and the others, and had heard their reply. Then, at almost noon the following day, Dornie Shaw and the other men had come in. Tom Kedrick had not returned with them. Why that should disturb her she could not have said, but the fact remained that it did. Since he had stepped up on the veranda she had thought of little else, remembering the set of his chin, the way he carried his shoulders, and the startled expression when he saw her. There was something about him that was different, not only from the men around her uncle, but from any man she had known before.
Now, when despite herself she had- looked forward to his return, he was missing.
John Gunter came out on the veranda, nervously biting the end from a cigar. 'What happened?" she asked. "Is something wrong? Where's Captain Kedrick?"
"Wish I knew! " His voice was sharp with anxiety. "He took a ride to look over those squatters an never came back. I don't trust Shaw, no matter how much Keith does. He's too bloodthirsty. We could get into a lot of trouble here, Connie. That's why I wanted Kedrick. He has judgment, brains."
"Perhaps he decided he wanted no part of it, Uncle. Maybe he decided your squatters were not outlaws or renegades."
Gunter glanced at her sharply. "Who has been talking to your he demanded.
"No one. It hasn't been necessary. I have walked around town, and I've seen that some of these outlaws, as you call them, have wives and children, that they buy supplies and look like nice, likeable people. I don't like it, Uncle John, and I don't like to think that my money may be financing a part of it."
"Now, now! Don't bother your head over it. You may be sure that Loren and I will do everything we can for your best interests."
"Then drop this whole thing!" she pleaded. "There's no need for it. I've money enough, and I don't want money that comes from depriving others of their homes. They all have a right to live, a chance."
"Of course!" Gunter was impatient. "We've gone over all this before. But I tell you most of those people are trash, and no matter about that, they all will be put off that land, anyway. The Government is going to buy out whoever has control. That will mean us, and that means we'll get a nice, juicy profit"
"From the Government? Your own Government, Uncle?" Connie studied him coolly. fail to understand the sort of man who will attempt to defraud his own Government. There are people like that, I suppose, but somehow I never thought I'd find one in my own family."
"Don't be silly, child. You know nothing of business, you aren't practical."
"I suppose not. Only I seem to remember that a lot of worthwhile things don't seem practical at the moment No," she got to her feet, "I believe I'll withdraw my investment in this deal and buy a small ranch somewhere nearby. I will have no part in it."
"You can't do that!" Gunter exploded impatiently. "Your money is already in, and there's no way of getting it out until this business is closed. Now, why don't you trust me like a good girl? You always have before!"
"Yes, I have, Uncle John, but I never believed you could be dishonest." She studied him frankly. "You aren't very happy about this yourself. You know," she persisted, "those people aren't going to move without a fight. You believed they could be frightened. Well, they can't. I've seen Bob McLennon, and he's not the kind of a man who can be frightened. Even by that choice bunch of murderers Loren has gathered together."
'They aren't that. Not murderers," Gunter protested uneasily, but refused to meet her eyes. 'Reckless, yes. And temperamental. Not murderers."
"Not even Dornie Shaw? The nice-looking, boyish one who has killed a dozen men and is so cold blooded and fiendish at times that others are afraid of him? No, Uncle, there is no way you can sidestep this. If you continue, you are going to countenance murder and the killing of innocent people.
"Loren
Connie Duane was disturbed. She had seen the messenger come to her uncle and the others, and had heard their reply. Then, at almost noon the following day, Dornie Shaw and the other men had come in. Tom Kedrick had not returned with them. Why that should disturb her she could not have said, but the fact remained that it did. Since he had stepped up on the veranda she had thought of little else, remembering the set of his chin, the way he carried his shoulders, and the startled expression when he saw her. There was something about him that was different, not only from the men around her uncle, but from any man she had known before.
Now, when despite herself she had- looked forward to his return, he was missing.
John Gunter came out on the veranda, nervously biting the end from a cigar. 'What happened?" she asked. "Is something wrong? Where's Captain Kedrick?"
"Wish I knew! " His voice was sharp with anxiety. "He took a ride to look over those squatters an never came back. I don't trust Shaw, no matter how much Keith does. He's too bloodthirsty. We could get into a lot of trouble here, Connie. That's why I wanted Kedrick. He has judgment, brains."
"Perhaps he decided he wanted no part of it, Uncle. Maybe he decided your squatters were not outlaws or renegades."
Gunter glanced at her sharply. "Who has been talking to your he demanded.
"No one. It hasn't been necessary. I have walked around town, and I've seen that some of these outlaws, as you call them, have wives and children, that they buy supplies and look like nice, likeable people. I don't like it, Uncle John, and I don't like to think that my money may be financing a part of it."
"Now, now! Don't bother your head over it. You may be sure that Loren and I will do everything we can for your best interests."
"Then drop this whole thing!" she pleaded. "There's no need for it. I've money enough, and I don't want money that comes from depriving others of their homes. They all have a right to live, a chance."
"Of course!" Gunter was impatient. "We've gone over all this before. But I tell you most of those people are trash, and no matter about that, they all will be put off that land, anyway. The Government is going to buy out whoever has control. That will mean us, and that means we'll get a nice, juicy profit"
"From the Government? Your own Government, Uncle?" Connie studied him coolly. fail to understand the sort of man who will attempt to defraud his own Government. There are people like that, I suppose, but somehow I never thought I'd find one in my own family."
"Don't be silly, child. You know nothing of business, you aren't practical."
"I suppose not. Only I seem to remember that a lot of worthwhile things don't seem practical at the moment No," she got to her feet, "I believe I'll withdraw my investment in this deal and buy a small ranch somewhere nearby. I will have no part in it."
"You can't do that!" Gunter exploded impatiently. "Your money is already in, and there's no way of getting it out until this business is closed. Now, why don't you trust me like a good girl? You always have before!"
"Yes, I have, Uncle John, but I never believed you could be dishonest." She studied him frankly. "You aren't very happy about this yourself. You know," she persisted, "those people aren't going to move without a fight. You believed they could be frightened. Well, they can't. I've seen Bob McLennon, and he's not the kind of a man who can be frightened. Even by that choice bunch of murderers Loren has gathered together."
'They aren't that. Not murderers," Gunter protested uneasily, but refused to meet her eyes. 'Reckless, yes. And temperamental. Not murderers."
"Not even Dornie Shaw? The nice-looking, boyish one who has killed a dozen men and is so cold blooded and fiendish at times that others are afraid of him? No, Uncle, there is no way you can sidestep this. If you continue, you are going to countenance murder and the killing of innocent people.
"Loren
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