They mounted and rode slowly out to the trail, all signs of the quarrel wiped away by the cunning hand of the ranger.
Scott listened until he heard the hoof beats die away in the distance and then walked slowly back to the cabin thinking of the wonderful surprise party he was preparing for those two in the morning.
CHAPTER XIV
THE RECOUNTING OF THE SHEEP
Scott walked slowly back to the cabin thinking of the tremendous pow wow there would be when he sprung his discoveries the next day. He felt sure that neither the supervisor nor any one else outside of the ring, unless it was the small ranchers who had been using free range, had ever suspected Dawson. Every one knew that Jed Clark would beat any one he could, but with Dawson it would be a different matter. He had the reputation, both in the service and outside for sterling honesty and for strict enforcement of the regulations. He would have felt sorry for him if he had not overheard his cool schemes that night for getting rid of the “Eastern dude.” Now he looked forward with pleasure to the stir his disclosure would make.
He approached the cabin as he had left it by way of the corral and the wood pile, for he thought possibly Dawson had stopped there again on the way home. He glanced quickly around the cabin. There was no one there, but there was a piece of paper lying on the table in a conspicuous place near the lamp. It was a scribbled note from Dawson.
Dropped in but did not have time to wait for you. We’ll have the recount to-morrow morning about ten o’clock. Ramsey is coming up and I’ll be down there. Probably Jed will be up to count for his side. A recount is rather a serious matter and I hope for the good of the Service that you have not made any mistake.
Hastily,
DAWSON
“I hope you have not made any mistake,” Scott repeated with a grin. “That’s a pretty slick little piece of sarcasm and I’ll bet he grinned when he wrote it, but if he knew what I know he would have made it a prayer that I had made a mistake.”