Mose felt the blood of his heart thicken and grow cold. There was a deadly resolution in Delmar's deliberate action. Prevision of a bloody fray filled the boy's mind, but he could not retreat. He could not let his boss go alone into an enemy's country; therefore he rode silently after. Delmar galloped steadily on toward the Circle Bar Ranch house. Mile after mile was traversed at steady gallop till the powerful little ponies streamed with salty sweat. At last Delmar drew rein and allowed Mose to ride by his side. "You needn't be alarmed," he said in a kindly tone; "these hounds won't shoot; they're going to evade it, but I shall hold 'em to it--trust me, my boy." As they topped a ridge and looked down into Willow Creek, where the Ranch house stood, several horsemen could be seen riding in from the opposite side, and quite a group of men waited Delmar's approach, and every man was armed. Each face wore a look of constraint, though one man advanced hospitably. "Good afternoon, gentlemen; ride your horses right into the corral, and the boys'll take the saddles off." "Where is Williams?" asked Delmar as he slid from his horse. "Gone to town; anything I can do for you? I'm his boss." "You tell Mr. Williams," said Delmar, with menacing calm, "I came to tell him that a drove of horses belonging partly to you and partly to Hartley, of The Horseshoe, were stampeded through my sheep yesterday, killing over two hundred of them." Conrad replied softly: "I know, I know! I just heard of it. Too bad! but you understand how it is. Herds get going that way, and you can't stop 'em nor head 'em off." "Your men didn't try to head 'em off." "How about that, boys?" inquired Conrad, turning to the younger men. A long, freckled, grinning ape stepped forward. "Well, it was this way: we was a-tryin' to head the herd off, and we didn't see the sheep till we was right into 'em----" "That's a lie!" said Mose. "You drove the horses right down the valley into the sheep. I saw you do it." "You call me a liar and I'll blow your heart out," shouted the cowboy, dropping his hand to his revolver. "Halt!" said Delmar. "Easy now, you young cockalorum. It ain't useful to start shooting where Andrew Delmar is." Conrad spoke sharply: "Jim, shut up." Turning to Mose, "Where did it happen?" "In Boulder Creek, just south of the road." Conrad turned to Delmar in mock surprise. "_South_ of the road! Your sheep must o' strayed over the line, Mr. Delmar. As they was on our side of the range I don't see that I can do anything for you. If they'd been on the north side----"