"Because," replied Mr. Thornton—and there came over his face a worried look—"because I got a letter from this expert just as I was leaving town to-day, saying he could not come out until next week. That's why I know that couldn't be his party. Besides, he'd come here first, as he doesn't know the location of the dam. I wonder who those fellows can be?"
There was something strange about it all, and the boys felt that Mr. Thornton was alarmed over the news.
"Can't you imagine who they might be?" asked his wife.
"No," he answered, with a shake of his head and a frown. "I don't like it, either. If I didn't know that this Shackmiller was laid up, as you told me, Billy, I'd say it was that rascal. And yet he would hardly come on my land, when he knows how I feel toward him."
"But I thought he and his crowd owned—or claimed to own—some land in between your two ranches," said Billy.
"He does claim to own it—a strip leading to Golden Peak—but he doesn't have to come on my land to get to it. I'm going to look into this," and Mr. Thornton got up to take down his hat and coat, which he had hung up on entering the house.
"Oh, Richfield!" exclaimed his wife. "You'll be careful; won't you?"
"Of course," he laughed. "But if any of that crowd is trespassing on my land they'd better go off in a hurry."
There was determination in Mr. Thornton's face as he prepared to investigate the occurrence that had given him cause for alarm.
"Get my horse ready, Archie," he called to the cattleman, who was out in the yard. "I'm going over to the dam."