about where we're at. Lost Cabin, you see, is off to the north-west about thirty miles from here, and right along here's where the fence runs. In the morning I'll show it to you."
"What's Senator Galloway got inside his fence?" Rawlins asked, knowing pretty well what the reply would be. The sickness of disappointment was depressing his spirits, the shadow of defeat for his confidently arranged plans was falling already at his feet.
"Cattle and sheep, mister," Clemmons replied. "That's what Senator Jim's got back of that fence, ten thousand head of cattle and eighty thousand head of sheep, they say. He runs 'em cheaper than any man or outfit on this range can do it, three or four horse-thieves ridin' fence and a few sheep-herders are all the hands he needs, 'cept at shearin' and when he goes to round up them cattle and cut out the ones he wants to ship."
"I don't suppose he's got all the range fenced up, even then," said Rawlins, drawing a breath that carried him a little relief of hope.
"He's got it blocked with his fence nearly from mountains to mountains, and back of him there's a gang of cowmen makin' their last stand on the open range in this part of the country. No, son, if you come here expectin' to take your pick out of that land you might as well go back where you come from. There ain't no land somebody ain't usin' on anywhere in the Dry Wood country. Outside of Galloway's fence sheepmen they've grabbed every foot of it and split it up between them."
"It don't look very bright," Rawlins admitted.
