One of them left the group, spurring his horse in the direction taken by Lawler.

He must have been called back, for he wheeled his horse after he had ridden a dozen paces or so, and rejoined the group, which came on as before.
When the horsemen came to a halt near the fire, they were spread in a semi-circle about the Circle L men, and in their bronzed immobile faces was no answer to the question that agitated Blackburn and the other men.
They had halted at a little distance from the fire, and one of them, a tall, slender, keen-eyed, thin-lipped man, urged his horse out of the circle and insolently inspected Blackburn and his cowboys.

He lounged loosely in the saddle.
There was a sinister light in his eyes, a lurking threat in his manner.
"What outfit is this ?" he demanded.
"Circle L, from Wolf River," answered Blackburn.
"Where you headin' ?" "To Red Rock." "Railroad out of business ?" jeered the outlaw.
"Far as the Circle L is concerned, it is, Antrim," smiled Blackburn.

"We had a fuss, an' quit 'em." The outlaw peered intently at the other.

Then he grinned.
"It's Andy Blackburn!" he said.