It was Henry Riley, owner of the Bar Z ranch, thirty miles down Coyote creek. A cattleman of the old order, a man not given to haste or excitement. His appearance caught the interest of all, for he was breathing fast and his eyes blazed. "Where's Dad?" he asked and Hepburn, rising, said: "Here. What's the matter, Henry?" "Who's this nester in Devil's Hole?" Riley asked. "Why ... I didn't know there was a nester there." Dad answered hesitatingly and Beck scraped one foot on the floor. "Well, there is. Guess we've all been asleep. He's there, with a girl, and they filed on that water yesterday. That shuts your outfit and mine out of the best range in the country if he fences, which he will! If they're goin' to dry farm our steers off the range we'd better look alive." "I'll be damned," muttered Hepburn. "That was one of the next things I was goin' to have her do, file on that water." He scratched his head and turned. Beck was waiting for him to face about. "Now," he said slowly, "what are you going to do?" His eyes flashed angrily and any who watched could see the challenge. Silently Hepburn reached for his belt and gun, strapped it on, dug in his blankets for another revolver and shoved it into his shirt. "First," he said, "I'm goin' after those horses. _That_ ain't too late to be remedied. No, I'll go alone!" as Tom stepped toward his bunk where his gun hung. Hepburn gave Beck stare for stare as though defying him now to impute his motives and strode out into a fine rain, drawing on his slicker. CHAPTER IX THE DESTROYER While the men were eating that night another rider had come to H.C. He entered slowly, tied his horse to the fence and walked down along the cottonwoods toward the house. He stood outside a time, looking through the window at Jane whose golden head was bowed in the mellow glow of the student lamp as she worked at her desk. He stepped lightly across the veranda and rapped; at her bidding he entered. "Dick!" she exclaimed. "Undoubtedly," he said, with forced attempt at lightness. "How did you get here? Why come at this time of day?"--rising and walking toward him. "I rode a horse, and I came because I couldn't stay away from you any longer." She looked at him, head tilted a bit to one side, and genuine regret was in her slow smile. "Oh, Dick, don't look or feel like that! I'm glad to see you, but I _wish_ you'd stop thinking and talking and looking like that. I don't like to have you so dreadfully determined ... when it's no use. "All this way to see me! And did you eat? Of course you didn't!" "I don't want anything," he protested glumly. "But you must."