"That can't be so, Mr. Merwell. My man, Todd, is a careful rounder, and he told me he was sure of the brands." "He ain't careful at all," broke in Link. "He drinks and he don't know what he is doing." "This is an affair between your father and myself," said Mr. Endicott, stiffly. "You will kindly keep out of it." "Huh! I guess I can have my say!" growled Link. "I shall hold you responsible for every head of cattle of mine that is missing," continued Mr. Merwell, with a dark look. "I am willing to pay for every head that Todd drove off that did not belong to us," answered Mr. Endicott. "But he assured me that he took only our own. I will look into the matter when I get back to the ranch." And, bowing stiffly, the railroad president rode on, with Belle beside him. As they passed, Link "made a face" at Belle, but the young lady refused to notice him. As soon as he returned to the ranch, Mr. Endicott called up Sid Todd, and then some of the other cowboys, and questioned them closely about the cattle sent off. The head herder indignantly denied that he had included any outside cattle, and his story was corroborated by the others. "I can leave it to Bill Parker, Mr. Hooper's man," said Todd. "He was there. If Merwell didn't want to take our word, why didn't he send a man down? We notified him that we was going to make a shipment." "Have the steers been shipped yet?" "No--not till to-morrow." "Then ride down to the yard and have Harrison go over them and write out a declaration that they are all ours," added the ranch owner. "It's a good deal of work," grumbled the cowboy. "I know it, but I'll pay Harrison. With a declaration from Harrison, Mr. Merwell will have no claim." The ranch owner's orders were carried out, and the next day a duplicate of the stockyard man's declaration,--that the cattle were all of the Star Ranch brand,--was delivered to Mr. Merwell. "Huh! needn't tell me!" he sniffed, after reading the paper. "I guess Harrison is playing into Endicott's hands." "You tell Harrison that--if you dare," answered the messenger, who had delivered the paper. Harrison was known to be a fair and square but high-tempered individual, and one who could shoot, and shoot straight. "Oh, I--er--I didn't mean--er--anything against Harrison," answered Felix Merwell, hastily. "I think Endicott is deceiving him, that's all. But it is not his fault. I--er--suppose, though, I'll have to let the matter drop. Just the same, I think some of my cattle slipped into that drove." And there the matter rested. Mr. Merwell knew he was in the wrong, but he was too mean a man to acknowledge it. Truly, father and son were equally despicable. "I wish he would sell out," said Belle, to the other girls. "But I am afraid he won't--he'll stay here just so he and Link can worry us." "Maybe he wants you to sell out," said Jessie. "Well, we'll not do it," answered Belle, with spirit.