"
"Great guns! How could five hundred head get away from us? And right
under our noses, too."
"Easy enough. You must remember that since Stella has been gone we've
paid no more attention to the herd than if we didn't own them."
"That's true. As for myself, I confess that I've given them no
attention. And I've kept you fellows so busy that we've left the cattle
to take care of themselves, almost."
"Well, it's time we woke up ter ther situation, er soon we won't hev no
more cattle than a rabbit."
"That's so. We'll run a count of them in the morning."
"It's shore got me puzzled. I can't think whar they could hev gone."
"Strayed, possibly."
"P'r'aps. Ever hear o' there bein' any rustlers in this part o' ther
country?"
"No, I never have. But there are some pretty bad citizens in this
section, who, if they never have rustled cattle, certainly are capable
of it."
"Alludin' to who?"
"Well, there's Shan Rhue and his gang, for instance."
"They're pretty bad actors, fer shore. But I ain't positive thet they're
ther kind what would rustle.
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