"Dakota, I want you."
Six cowpunchers gasped. Dakota opened his mouth and closed it without speaking, but his face reddened.
"Come here!"
Dakota stumbled to his feet and came to the doorway. Constable Hughes handed him a blue paper and waited for the reading. Dakota's anger flamed. With an oath he tore the paper in two—but as the two parts separated, his hands stayed.
"Now you're coming with me, Dakota Fraley!"
The Policeman dismounted without haste and stepped up to the part-owner of the best paying ranch in the Medicine Hat district, the boss of the toughest outfit of cowpunchers in Western Canada.
"Well, this is one h—l of a country!" growled Dakota, putting on his Stetson and starting for the stables.
"It might be," said Hughes.