Circumstances had been against him, and there was something baffling about this rustling.

The summer storms set in early, and it had been his luck to have heavy rains wash out fresh tracks that he might have followed.

The range was large and cattle were everywhere.
Sometimes a loss was not discovered for weeks.

Gaston Isbel's sons were now the only men left to ride the range.

Two of his riders had quit because of the threatened war, and Isbel had let another go.