THE THIRSTY LAND
Drought had changed the green sage into a thirsty land, peaceful ranchers into desperate men. The milk of human kindness had dried up, along with the grass. A good sprinkle would have settled the dust as well as the animosities that were stirring up gun trouble on the range. A cloudburst would have made it unnecessary for the big outfits to battle for the little water that was left. . . But no rain came. . . and the gun trouble blossomed out in range war. Blood instead of water flowed over the land. . . and home-coming Dan Ballard found himself daubed with it.