She stooped lower, but
making no attempt to touch the thing which had disturbed her. The
candle revealed a folded sheet of white paper. A string bound it round
the rooted portion of a grass tuft.
After a few moments she reached out and picked it up. The next moment
she was standing erect at her bureau, and with a pair of scissors she
severed the string and dropped the grass tuft to the floor.
The paper was folded and thumb-marked by dirty hands. With shaking
fingers and tense nerves she deliberately unfolded it.
It was a note, and she read it eagerly.
"You sold the lives of men for a price. You had it your way then.
We're goin' to have our way now. You'll pay for that deal the only way
we know."
* * * * * *
Elvine sat watching the scenes of the work of the range. The men were
returning from distant points making for the ranch house where their
evening meal was awaiting them at the bunkhouse. Teams were moving
toward the barns, and barn-hands were watering those which had already
returned.
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