A few cattle and horses grazed in an inclosed pasture.

The trail led by the cabin.

As Wade rode up a bushy-haired man came out of the door, rifle in hand.

He might have been going out to hunt, but his scrutiny of Wade was that of a lone settler in a wild land.
"Howdy, stranger!" he said.
"Good evenin'," replied Wade.

"Reckon you're Blair an' I'm nigh the headwaters of this river ?" "Yep, a matter of three miles to Trapper's Lake." "My name's Wade.