always in halts and starts, over saplings, around
bulging rocks, along narrow ledges, and at length
gained the mesa, where the men drew rein. Johnson,
sweeping his eyes coolly over the field of his
campaign, began to give orders.

"Jim," he snapped, "cut in over there -- that
arroyo -- and crowd 'em around to the south.
Don't go too deep." Then, as Jim caught up
Ms reins, "Glover, swing off this side -- close in.
We'll keep close in down to the line. Hop along!"

Pat remained standing. He turned his eyes
after the little gray and her rider. He saw the
pair swing up over a rise of ground at a gallop,
dip from view into a hollow, and appear again on
the level beyond. Across this they rode, speeding
to the opposite slopes, then slackening as they ascended,
making quietly among the nervous cattle,
horses and riders moving with the easy certainty
that told of much experience. Then he saw the
head and shoulders of the young man above the
surging herd, crowding a part of it slowly in
his direction, to the right, to the left, forward and
around, always making steadily toward him. It
was interesting, and he continued to watch the
cool steadiness of the man and the easy control
of the horse, until he caught sight of the other,
riding the opposite flank, but also crowding steadily
toward him. He fell to watching this man,
who, not so tall as Jim among the herd, but as
quietly active, was also pressing to right and left
and forward and around among the cattle, relentlessly
cutting them out. Soon there was a gen-

[[194]]

p193 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p194w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p195

v?