“I tell you simply what I believe,” she said gravely. “I don’t know. There is no proof. I wouldn’t breathe this to any one. I only say it to you because I’m asking you to work for me. I don’t know that I would even tell you, if you didn’t look so much like Doc that you could easily be taken for him. If you ride for me, you _may_ fall heir to whatever bad blood did exist between him and Elmer Duffy. If Doc hadn’t made an issue of me with this man he would still be alive. I don’t want to be a bone of contention. I won’t be. I like men well enough until they get too friendly. If a man works for me, he’s working for me, and that’s all there is to it. So now you know all about it. And I do need a rider to take Doc’s place.” “It was very inconsiderate of him to get himself killed off when you needed him.” Rock couldn’t forbear the ironic note. “Riders can’t always be picked up in this country just when you want ’em.” “You’re brutal.” Nona drew herself up, and her eyes filled. “I liked Doc. He _was_ nice. He was loyal. It made me sick to see him die like that. It made me feel guilty, because I was partly the cause. But I can’t help it that I’m a woman. Can’t you understand? I’m not a callous beast.” And Rock knew she was not. He knew he had hurt her with that thrust. “Well, I’ll guarantee not to afflict you with my admiration if I feel any,” he smiled. “And it’s a cowpuncher’s nature to be loyal to the people he works for. If I ever lock horns with Elmer Duffy, it won’t be for the reason you say your man, Doc, did. No. And I like the looks of this country. I’d sort of like to linger on this range for a while. So there doesn’t seem to be any reason why I shouldn’t work for you.” “All right,” she answered composedly. “If you’ll bunch those horses that are in the pasture, I’ll show you what ones to saddle. I want you to go down the river with me after I’ve milked this other cow.” * * * * * While Rock gathered a few horses out of the pasture, he saw a rider cross the flat. The milch cows were in a small corral. Rock bunched the horses in a larger one and walked through the stable to where Nona finished her dairymaid’s task. From the door he saw that the man was Elmer Duffy. Rock’s mind worked fast. He was bound to encounter Duffy some time, and it might as well be now. Duffy’s business was with Nona Parke, not with him. But Rock cared nothing for that. He remembered that he had killed this man’s brother. He was going to live for a time in Duffy’s immediate neighborhood. If Duffy had taken Mark’s death to heart and brooded over it, Rock wanted to know and be ready for what might follow. But he was hardly prepared for what did happen. He walked straight toward Duffy. The man’s back was toward him. He was talking to Nona. She was just rising from her stool. Duffy was in no way excited. His tone was the habitual slow drawl of the native Texan. Then Rock spoke. “Hello, Duffy,” said he.