صفحة 396 من 439

"So some of us gathered together hastily and rode over. Our

intentions were declared. We meant to drive the sheep back and

patrol the dead line. It was solemnly agreed that there was to be

no shooting, not even of sheep."

The story halted here for a moment before Howard took it up

again. "Things don't always come out the way you figure them. We

didn't anticipate any trouble. We outnumbered them two to one. We

had the advantage of the surprise. You couldn't guess that for

anything but a cinch, could you?"

"And it turned out different?"