“It’s an insult if these roughs are not being paid by you. Can you tell me that they’re not?” demanded Hugh, eyes cold as the steel-gray waters of Lake Tahoe on a wintry morning. “I’ll tell you nothing under compulsion, sir.” “Which means that I’m right. You and yore brother are back of this outrage. You think you can get away with our property by wholesale bribery. I should think you’d know the men you’re fightin’ better than that.” “We ask for nothing that’s not ours. We don’t intend to let ourselves be bulldozed out of anything that is.” The dark colour flashed into the cheeks of Dodson. His anger, envenomed by months of repression, boiled out of him as red-hot lava from a crater. “I’ll show you McClintocks whether you run this state. If it takes every cent I’ve got in the world I’ll ruin you both. To hear and see you a man would think you were in partnership with God Almighty. You’ve got folks buffaloed. But not me—not me!” He slammed his fist down hard on the table so that the lamp jumped. He whirled and strode from the room in a fury. “War, looks like,” said Hugh, turning with a smile to his friends. “I never knew him to lose his temper before,” said Vicky. “You spoke pretty straight to him. Do you think that was wise?” “Why not? He’s been our enemy for a long time. Might as well bring him into the open.” “He knew the claims were going to be jumped, you think?” “Yes, but his machine slipped a cog. D’you see him look at his watch when Dan told us? He knew what was on the programme, but it took place earlier in the evenin’ than he had arranged for. That’s how I figure it out, anyhow.” “What are we going to do about it?” asked Vicky. She knew that the history of the Nevada and California mining camps was full of tragedies due to disputes over mining locations. Claim jumping was not infrequent, and in a good many cases the jumpers finally won the day. Usually the stronger characters won, regardless of the justice of the case. “We’re going to get our claims back,” Hugh replied. Byers nodded. He was as decided on that point as his partner. The only question was in what way. Sheriff Budd, greatly excited, waddled in; Mrs. Budd was hard on his heels. “Hell’s hinges, boys!” he broke out. “Have you-all heard what them scalawags have done pulled off?” “I been expectin’ it,” Mrs. Budd announced calmly. She was a woman impossible to surprise. She made a good wife and mother, but there were moments when Jim wished she wouldn’t say “I told you so” quite as often as she did. “Then I hope you’re expectin’ us to re-jump ’em, Mrs. Budd,” Hugh said with a grin. They discussed ways and means. If possible, they meant to get back their property without bloodshed.