"Are you sure it was a real girl, Cody? It's been a while since you've seen one, and you might've got it wrong," one of the cowboys said with a snicker.

"Did you see her out on the range or did she come to the line shack?"

"Do you see her in the daytime or just at night?"

"Is she pretty?"

"Hell, if I'd knowed you'd get a girl, I'd of volunteered to ride the line, too!"

Up on the ranch house porch, Josh Logan paused in the process of rolling himself a cigarette, distracted by the commotion down in the yard. His men had preceded him out of the house after the noon meal, and he could see them all clustered around someone. Someone who looked a lot like Cody Wells.

Josh frowned. Cody was one of the cowboys assigned to ride the line during the long winter months and protect the far reaches of the ranch. His being here at the house meant something was wrong, and that could only mean Ortega.

Josh felt a surge of excitement at the thought of once again encountering his old enemy. The bandit must have come north early this year to be causing trouble already. Josh hurried down the stairs toward the group of men, but as he got closer and heard the things the men were saying to Cody, his enthusiasm quickly changed to perplexity.

"What's going on here?" Josh demanded, all thoughts of his nemesis Ortega wiped completely from his mind. As he worked his way through the crowd to where Cody stood, the other men stepped back to allow him room.