"
Thorne dropped into a chair with a sigh of contentment. "I was," said
he, "and then they made the Transfer, so I came back."
"You're in the Service again?" cried California John delighted.
"Couldn't stay out now that things are in proper hands."
"Good! I expect you're down here to haul me over the coals," California
John chuckled.
"Oh, just to look around," said Thorne, biting at his close-clipped,
bristling moustache.
Next morning they began to look around. California John was overjoyed at
this chance to show a sympathetic and congenial man what he had done.
"I got a trail 'way up Baldy now," he confided as they swung aboard.
"It's a good trail too; and it makes a great fire lookout. We'll take a
ride up there, if you have time before you go. Well, as I was telling
you about that Cook cattle case--the old fellow says----"
At the end of the Supervisor's long and interested dissertation on the
Cook case, Thorne laughed gently.
"Looks as if you had him," said he, "and I think the Chief will sustain
you. You like this work, don't you?"
"I sure just naturally love it," replied California John earnestly.
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