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 him on the trail of Zang Whistler an' a-snoopin' round keeping a lookout on the sheep people who 're invadin' the cattle range. Fact he called here other day shows you 're on his blacklist.

"But still the sheep keep edgin' in an' edgin' in—your pappy's, ole Woolly Annie's an' all the rest—an' still Zang Whistler rides out of Teapot Spout to see what he can see. You 're followin' close?"

Hilma nodded tensely. Her visitor was touching upon that subject which had called forth such fiery prophecies of woe from Uncle Alf, which had moved her to vow undying enmity against the barons of the Big Country; he revealed much she had only guessed under her father's tight-lipped dominion. Zang drove home his point with unconscious eloquence. He had risen from his chair and now stood facing the girl.

"So you see, the big owners are gettin' mighty riled up; an' they hired the Killer to go through the range country an' do with his rifle—sneaking behind coulee banks an' pot-shotting from under bridges—and do with a rifle what they can't do with strong talk. They aim to scare the sheepmen an' homesteaders