Nevertheless the sheep business was fascinating, and best of all successful. The question of the range was settled. We had the use of our own land and our rights were respected. The customary feud between the sheepman and the cattle owners was avoided, since our sheep were always kept within the limits of the land which we owned. From being the object of hatred and vilification, Owen became a personage; his opinion quoted, his method of handling sheep emulated.
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There were a few sheep men in the country who had made an indifferent success. They had scoffed at Owen’s practice of selling off all the lambs in the autumn and maintaining the number of his sheep by additional purchases but, when they found how small his losses were, they promptly adopted his plan and even some of the old-time cattle men put in sheep.
The loss of the law suit had certainly proved to be the turning point in the history of the Brook family. Our popularity increased so rapidly it was amusing. Bill expressed what I felt as I met him riding through the meadow.
“Have you been riding the fence lines, Bill?”
“Yes’m, but it’s just takin’ exercise for my health. There ain’t nothin’ wrong any more. Since you folks got the world by the tail and a down-hill pull, everybody’s huntin’ around seein’ what they can do to make it pleasant for you. I notice the Three Circle outfit don’t go round no more leavin’ all the gates open and when we get a fence line staked out, the stakes ain’t all pulled up by mornin’.”
“It is peaceful, isn’t it?”