"
Amazed at this hostile greeting, Law explained in a word the
reason for his presence.
"I don't know anything about your man. What d'you want him for,
and who are you?"
Dave introduced himself. "I want him for stealing Guzman calves. I
trailed him from where he and his partner cut into your south
pasture."
Benito stirred and muttered an oath, but Austin was unmoved. "I
reckon you must be a bad trailer," he laughed. "We've got no
thieves here. What makes you think Guzman lost any calves?"
Dave's temper, never too well controlled at best, began to rise.
He could not imagine why a person of Ed Austin's standing should
behave in this extraordinary manner, unless perhaps he was drunk.
"Well, I saw the calves, and I left the fellow that was branding
them with a wet saddle-blanket over his face."
"Eh? What's that?" Austin started, and Gonzalez uttered a
smothered exclamation. "You killed him? He's dead?"
"Dead enough to skin. I caught him with his irons in the fire and
the calves necked up in your pasture. Now I want his companero."
"I--hope you don't think we know anything about him," Ed
protested.
"Where's that man on the sorrel horse?"
Austin turned away with a shrug.
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