Chapter 14

“Have you ever pitched hay?” Hagger was silent. “Have you ever chopped wood?” Hagger was silent still. “You’d be pretty useful on a ranch,” the rancher smiled. “That’s quite a dog,” he added, and whistled to the bull terrier. The latter sprang close to Hagger and showed his teeth at the stranger. “A one-man dog,” said the stranger, and he smiled as though he approved. “How old is he?” he asked at length. “Old enough to do his share of killing.” “And you?” asked the rancher, turning with sudden and sharp scrutiny on…