"I was sayin' that I seen her—Nettie Day—over to Yankee Valley, and where d'you suppose she's living? Say, she must be tied up now to that Stanley fellow, because I seen her on his land and——"
"That's a damned lie!" shouted the cattleman, and dashed the loaded cowhide to the floor with a foul oath. Batt, his knees shaking with terror, retreated before the advance of the enraged cowman.
"It's true as God what I'm telling you. I seen her with my own eyes. She was breakin' land on Stanley's quarter."
Bull Langdon's eyes were bloodshot and his face twitched hideously.
"That young scrub's at Bow Claire. His homestead's burned to the ground. You can't come to me with no such tale as that."
"B—b-b-b—but I tell you she's workin' his land. I seen her. I stopped right close and looked her over to make sure. I ain't makin' no mistake. Thought at first I might be, cause I figure that a girl in her condition wouldn't be——"
"What-cha mean by her condition?"
"Sa-ay boss." Batt scratched his head, uncertain whether to proceed; itching to tell the tale of the girl's fall, but fearing the menacing spark in the cattleman's eyes. "I thought you knew."
"Knew what?"