Finally Leslie, clearing his throat, continued, "I guess all this serves me about right. I know I ought to be kicked--and I am being--in a way. Well, it's always been up to Sue to put up with us both, and she has. And then three years ago Lon Weston came. You see, Ross, dad is a sheep owner, and North Bend is on the edge of the range between sheep and cattle, and that always means war. About three miles away is a cattle ranch, and Peck, the owner, and dad are always by the ears. It was at Peck's that Lon was foreman, and he used to come over to North Bend to see my sister whenever dad would let 'im, but things were never very smooth for 'em. Of course, I didn't see much of him because I was off at school most of the year. I was away when the cattlemen had their big round-up two years ago in the fall. After each had cut out his own bunch of cattle and shipped 'em, a lot of the boys went on a drunk and dad lost his sheep. Naturally he went up in the air at the loss and was at the throat of every cattle owner and cowboy for miles around. And, first thing, of course he came down on Sue about Lon's coming to the house and forbid 'er to see him again, not because he suspected Lon, but just because he was Peck's foreman and a cowboy. "Well, Lon cleared out right off and Sue cried herself sick. She never said anything, but I've guessed that Lon never has written to 'er and I'm afraid she's foolish enough," tolerantly, "to think a lot of him. "But I never suspected that Lon was in the bunch that sent dad's sheep over, and I know that no one else around the ranch suspects it, because of Lon's coming to see Sue right along. Still--there were times when he was a pretty rough customer, and--it's a mixed up mess, ain't it, Ross, along with Sue?" Ross had been leaning forward on the table listening eagerly. Two or three times he had started to interrupt, and had checked himself with difficulty. Now he burst out: "I had forgotten the girl's photo in Lon's pocket, Leslie. I know now it's Sue's picture, because it looks like you. It fell out of his pocket at Sagehen Roost, and both Hank and I saw it, and then, when you came, you puzzled Hank because he thought he had seen you before!" "The very idea!" exclaimed Leslie indignantly when Ross had told him about the name on the photograph. "How dare he carry my sister's picture around with him after doing dad such a dirty trick. Oh, I have it in for him all right! I don't wonder the McKenzies knew they had to get rid of me before they could make Lon come over to Meadow Creek! I see now! I presume he thinks that dad has been on his track these two years. I wonder if Sandy and Waymart were with Peck at the same time Lon was?"