“‘Yes sir, you’ve identified me,’ said Isbel, nice an’ polite.
“‘My name’s Bruce. I’m rangin’ sheep heahaboots, an’ I hev interest in Kurnel Lee Jorth’s bizness.’
“‘Hod do, Mister Bruce,’ replied Isbel, very civil ant cool as you please. Bruce hed an eye fer the crowd thet was now listenin’ an’ watchin’. He swaggered closer to Isbel.
“‘We heerd y’u come into the Tonto Basin to run us sheepmen off the range. How aboot thet?’
“‘Wal, you heerd wrong,’ said Isbel, quietly. ‘I came to work fer my father. Thet work depends on what happens.’
“Bruce began to git redder of face, an’ he shook a husky hand in front of Isbel. ‘I’ll tell y’u this heah, my Nez Perce Isbel—’ an’ when he sort of choked fer more wind Greaves spoke up, ‘Simm, I shore reckon thet Nez Perce handle will stick.’ An’ the crowd haw-hawed. Then Bruce got goin’ ag’in. ‘I’ll tell y’u this heah, Nez Perce. Thar’s been enough happen already to run y’u out of Arizona.’
“‘Wal, you don’t say! What, fer instance?, asked Isbel, quick an’ sarcastic.
“Thet made Bruce bust out puffin’ an’ spittin’: ‘Wha-tt, fer instance? Huh! Why, y’u darn half-breed, y’u’ll git run out fer makin’ up to Ellen Jorth. Thet won’t go in this heah country. Not fer any Isbel.’
“‘You’re a liar,’ called Isbel, an’ like a big cat he dropped off the counter. I heerd his moccasins pat soft on the floor. An’ I bet to myself thet he was as dangerous as he was quick. But his voice an’ his looks didn’t change even a leetle.
“‘I’m not a liar,’ yelled Bruce. ‘I’ll make y’u eat thet. I can prove what I say.... Y’u was seen with Ellen Jorth—up on the Rim—day before yestiddy. Y’u was watched. Y’u was with her. Y’u made up to her. Y’u grabbed her an’ kissed her! ... An’ I’m heah to say, Nez Perce, thet y’u’re a marked man on this range.’