Certainly no one at the Double Cross guessed what was always in the mind of the foreman.

Jim thought he was "sore" because of Dick.
Dick thought Ford was jealous of him, and trying to think of some scheme to "play even," without coming to open war.

Mrs.Kate was positive, in her purely feminine mind--which was a very good mind, understand, but somewhat inadequate when brought to bear upon the big problems of life--that Ford was tippling in secret.

Josephine thought--just what she said, probably, upon the chill day when she calmly asked Ford at the breakfast table if he would let her go with him.
Ford had casually remarked, in answer to a diffident question from Mrs.
Kate, that he was going to ride out on Long Ridge and see if any stock was drifting back toward the ranch.

He hadn't sent any one over that way for several days.