"Yes, we have. Our boundaries are fixed. We gave th' Three Triangle about eighty square miles of range so our valley would be free from all cows but our own. That's all th' land between th' line an' th' Jumping Bear, an' it was a big price, too. They never drove a cow over on us." She looked disappointed and toyed with her quirt. "Why don't you want to let Paw use th' valley?" "It ain't big enough for our own cows, an' we can't share it. As it is, we'll have to drive ten thousand on leased range next year to give our grass a rest." "Well,--" she stopped and he waited to hear what she would say, and then asked her when she would be up again. "I don't know! I don't know!" she cried. "Why, what's the matter?" "Nothing. I'm foolish--that's all," she replied, smiling, and trying to forget the picture which arose in her mind, a picture of desperate fighting along the line; of her father--and him. "You scared me then," he said. "Did I? Why, it wasn't anything." "Are you shore?" "Please don't ask me any questions," she requested. "Will you be up here again soon?" "If th' baking turns out all right." "Hang the baking! come anyway." "I'll try; but I'm afraid," she faltered. "Of what?" he demanded, sitting up very straight. "Why, that I can't," she replied, hurriedly. "You see, it's far coming up here." "That's easy. I'll meet you west of th' hills." "No, no! I'll come up here." "Look here," he said, slowly and kindly. "If yo're afraid of bein' seen with me, don't you try it. I want to see you a whole lot, but I don't want you to have no trouble with yore father about it. I can wait till everything is all right if you want me to." She turned and faced him, her cheeks red. "No, it ain't that, exactly. Don't ask me any more. Don't talk about it. I'll come, all right, just as soon as I can." They were on the line now and she held out her hand. "Good-bye." "Good-bye for now. Try to come up an' see me as soon as you can. If yo're worryin' because that Greaser don't like me, stop it. I've been in too many tight places to get piped out where there's elbow room." "I asked you not to say nothing more about it," she chided. "I'll come when I can. Good-bye." "Good-bye," he replied, his sombrero under his arm. He watched her until she became lost to sight and then, suspicious, wheeled, and saw Johnny sitting quietly on his horse several hundred yards away. He called his friend to him by one wide sweep of his arm and Johnny spurred forward. "Follow me, Johnny," he cried, dashing towards the arroyo. "Take th' other side an' look for that Greaser. I'll take this side. Edge off; yo're too close. Three hundred yards is about right."