John Thorn was up with the sun, and long before his wife and two sons awakened was riding for town. He had much to do and little time to do it in.
John had been ranching in these parts for the past ten years only to find the open range around him was vanishing faster than rain on the trail in the August heat. Today was the day he was selling off the herd. Another—luckier—local rancher had gone into business with the town banker, and their offer wasn't great, but it was the best he was going to get.