over two-thirds of it was a big, natural cave. I paced it off, then went on top and measured the rock and found I only had a little way to go and much was an up-thrust from below that I could take off with a pick.
"As far as the grass goes, I never graze much stock on it at any one time, and I shift them around to give the grass a chance to grow back."
"Don't you have trouble with old Two Moons?"
"Not at all. I explained what I had in mind, andhe understood right away. The Navajo have always understood grazing pretty well, and I offered them a fair price."
As they walked back her eyes strayed toward the house. She would have liked to see the inside, but he did not suggest it.
He stripped the harness from the team and turned them into the corral, then saddled a horse. "It's getting late," he said, "I'll ride home with you."
The ride to the TD was silent, for neither felt like talking. Barry was happy and miserable at the same time. He was in love with Candy, but her father had been one of those who tried to drive him off the place, and her father had lent his tacit consent to building The Fence, if no more than that.
The feeling against him had grown stranger rather than otherwise. The incident in the store would make them turn even further away, and as none of them liked him, most would be only too quick to accept his walking away from Stangle as cowardice.
When they drew up at the gate he said, "I wish you'd come again. And bring your father."
"He wouldn't come, Barry." She was puzzled about her feelings toward him. He had talked more than ever before, and for the first time she had seen something of the kind of man he was, yet she could not quite understand him. He was, she suspected, a much more complex human being than any she had known.
"You're beautiful, Candy." The words came so suddenly that she looked up, surprised by them. "You're so beautiful it hurts. I wish--"
A dark figure loomed near the gate. "Candy? Is that you? Who's that with you?"
"Price? I was just saying good night to Barry Merrano."
"Who?" Astonishment mingled with anger.
"Has that dirty Mex been botherin' you? If he has,
I'll--!"
"I simply rode home with Miss Drake," Barry said. "There's no reason to get excited."
Price Taylor shoved open the gate and came out. "Listen, greaser! You turn that horse and cut loose for home! Don't you be tellin' me not to get excited! I'll take you off that horse and beat your skull in!"
"Price!" Candy exclaimed. "This is outrageous!" Taylor was beside Barry's horse. He was a large, somewhat top-heavy young man. As foreman of the TD he had become almost one of the family and he had long looked upon Candy Drake as someone very special and reserved for him, although he had had no encouragement from her and certainly none from Tom Drake, who would have been appalled at the thought. Seeing her in the moonlight with Merrano turned him ugly.
"This is no business for womenfolk: ! You get along to the house now. I'll take care of this I"
He reached a big hand for Barry and Barry went, much faster than Taylor expected. As Taylor laid hold of him Barry swung his other leg over the saddle and drove his heel into the bigger man's chest, sending him staggering. Then he dropped to the ground.
Coolly, he waited until Taylor recovered his balance. "I'd rather you'd go along to the house," Barry said, "but if you want a licking you can have
it"
"A lickin'? Me?" Taylor's size had won several brawls for him, and he fancied himself a tough man.
He started for Merrano and a stiff left stopped him, smashing his lips. Taylor dropped into a half-crouch, arms wide to grapple, and moved in. Barry caught the larger man's sleeve and jerked him forward, off-balance, then kicked his foot from under him. Taylor sprawled forward, falling on his hands and knees.
Merrano stood waiting, and Taylor came half erect, then launched himself in a long dive. Merrano sidestepped and waited.
Slowly, carefully, Taylor got up from the ground.
"As far as the grass goes, I never graze much stock on it at any one time, and I shift them around to give the grass a chance to grow back."
"Don't you have trouble with old Two Moons?"
"Not at all. I explained what I had in mind, andhe understood right away. The Navajo have always understood grazing pretty well, and I offered them a fair price."
As they walked back her eyes strayed toward the house. She would have liked to see the inside, but he did not suggest it.
He stripped the harness from the team and turned them into the corral, then saddled a horse. "It's getting late," he said, "I'll ride home with you."
The ride to the TD was silent, for neither felt like talking. Barry was happy and miserable at the same time. He was in love with Candy, but her father had been one of those who tried to drive him off the place, and her father had lent his tacit consent to building The Fence, if no more than that.
The feeling against him had grown stranger rather than otherwise. The incident in the store would make them turn even further away, and as none of them liked him, most would be only too quick to accept his walking away from Stangle as cowardice.
When they drew up at the gate he said, "I wish you'd come again. And bring your father."
"He wouldn't come, Barry." She was puzzled about her feelings toward him. He had talked more than ever before, and for the first time she had seen something of the kind of man he was, yet she could not quite understand him. He was, she suspected, a much more complex human being than any she had known.
"You're beautiful, Candy." The words came so suddenly that she looked up, surprised by them. "You're so beautiful it hurts. I wish--"
A dark figure loomed near the gate. "Candy? Is that you? Who's that with you?"
"Price? I was just saying good night to Barry Merrano."
"Who?" Astonishment mingled with anger.
"Has that dirty Mex been botherin' you? If he has,
I'll--!"
"I simply rode home with Miss Drake," Barry said. "There's no reason to get excited."
Price Taylor shoved open the gate and came out. "Listen, greaser! You turn that horse and cut loose for home! Don't you be tellin' me not to get excited! I'll take you off that horse and beat your skull in!"
"Price!" Candy exclaimed. "This is outrageous!" Taylor was beside Barry's horse. He was a large, somewhat top-heavy young man. As foreman of the TD he had become almost one of the family and he had long looked upon Candy Drake as someone very special and reserved for him, although he had had no encouragement from her and certainly none from Tom Drake, who would have been appalled at the thought. Seeing her in the moonlight with Merrano turned him ugly.
"This is no business for womenfolk: ! You get along to the house now. I'll take care of this I"
He reached a big hand for Barry and Barry went, much faster than Taylor expected. As Taylor laid hold of him Barry swung his other leg over the saddle and drove his heel into the bigger man's chest, sending him staggering. Then he dropped to the ground.
Coolly, he waited until Taylor recovered his balance. "I'd rather you'd go along to the house," Barry said, "but if you want a licking you can have
it"
"A lickin'? Me?" Taylor's size had won several brawls for him, and he fancied himself a tough man.
He started for Merrano and a stiff left stopped him, smashing his lips. Taylor dropped into a half-crouch, arms wide to grapple, and moved in. Barry caught the larger man's sleeve and jerked him forward, off-balance, then kicked his foot from under him. Taylor sprawled forward, falling on his hands and knees.
Merrano stood waiting, and Taylor came half erect, then launched himself in a long dive. Merrano sidestepped and waited.
Slowly, carefully, Taylor got up from the ground.
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