“I allow you’re right foolish, Mr. Larkin; better think it over.”
“I did that last night when the sheep went into the river,” said Bud dryly.
“I suppose so, but a night’s sleep sometimes changes a man’s mind.”
“Not mine. The first night I was here I told you that I would bring my sheep north, and I still intend to do it. I am always willing to meet a man half-way; but you wouldn’t meet me. Instead of that you started in to ruin me. I have no objection to that, but you’d better take care that your schemes don’t work two ways.”
Bissell shrugged his shoulders. He still had the upper-hand of the situation, and his temper, in that case, was not hard to control.
“I allow I can look out for myself,” he said. 130
“No doubt, but you had better look out for me,” was the retort.
“I reckon I’ll manage,” remarked Bissell contemptuously. “But all this isn’t what I wanted to ask you. I’d be some pleased if you’d tell me about them rustlers you were with.”
“Why do you want to know about them?” countered Bud.
“Because they’re ruinin’ the cattle business. I dunno how many head they run off last year, but I do know that profits were cut in half by ’em. You was with ’em long enough to know some of ’em again, I allow?”