“No.  It seems his trail out to the Mountain City road is snowed up.  He wants to get his mail over here if Scott will let him use his trail.  He wants me to speak to Scott about it.”

“What Scott will claim,” Charleton smiled, “is that he positively must have a retired location and complete privacy on his trail.”

There was another chuckle, during which the preacher looked from one keen face to another, but he did not speak.

“What has the scrapping been about, Peter?” asked Inez.

Douglas turned quietly to look at her.  It suddenly occurred to him that Inez used Peter’s name with a cadence that was new to him.  He saw that she was watching Peter’s thin sallow face with a shadow of strain about her eyes.

“O it’s about a bull again,” laughed Peter.  “It seems that Scott has an old red bull that Nelson says is one of his, rebranded.”

“But I thought,” began Judith; then she caught Charleton’s sardonic eye and subsided.

“What did you think, Judith?” asked Peter.

“Nothing.  Go on with your story.”

“There is no story to it.  Scott’s been keeping a six-shooter guard on the upper springs of Lost Chief, so’s old Nelson hasn’t had but half his usual allowance of water for his ditches.  He is sorer about that than he is over the bull, though he certainly is determined to get the critter back.  But he got small comfort out of me.  I told him to keep his plural fingers off of Lost Chief Creek, or he would lose more than an old red bull.”

“Right-o!” grunted Charleton.

“Are you going to ask Scott to let Nelson use his trail, Peter?” asked Inez.

“Sure!  Why not?” laughed Peter.

“You will make Scott sore at you,” replied Inez.  “I haven’t any quarrel with Scott myself, but I know he has a mean streak in him.  If he thinks you are in cahoots with Nelson he will make you trouble.”

“I’m not afraid of Scott,” said Peter.

“Well, you’ll need to be if you mix up in his affairs.  He holds grudges over nothing.”

“Awful bad man, Scott!” Douglas spoke with his quiet smile.

“I’m telling you he is!” insisted Inez.  “He’s been more than half in love with Judith for years and he’d just as soon double-cross Jude as anybody else.  I want you to let him alone, please, Peter.”

Peter was watching Judith.  Only Douglas seemed aware of the concentrated entreaty in Inez’ voice.  “Poor Inez,” he thought, “if she’s caring for Peter, she’ll be having her own little double Hades for everything she’s done.”  He looked at Peter.  Judith was staring thoughtfully at the stove and the postmaster’s deep eyes were fastened on the girl’s fine, clean-cut features, with a burning fire that suddenly brought Doug’s heart to his throat.

“What’s your opinion of Scott, Judith?” asked Peter.

“The same as Inez’.  But I can’t help liking him.  He’s done me lots of favors and he’s kept me from making a fool of myself a number of times, even if he did double-cross me once.  And he admires me.  He certainly does!” She laughed with girlish naïveté and the others joined her.