they don't like our colour any too well, at bottom. I s'pose you know
that."

"Yes. But they needn't express their feelings with rifles. As far as
these injunctions are concerned, they'll be dismissed eventually, for
there's no question about my right of way through here. Menocal
secured it himself and it's all a matter of record--the deeds, the
certificate to the state, and the rest."

"Menocal got it, you say?"

"Nobody else. Some time or other he must have expected to water Perro
Creek ranch, which he owned until he sold it to Stevenson."

"I knew he had that place," said the visitor, "but I didn't know it
carried a water right from the Pinas. Where does this move of yours
hit Menocal?"

"In his ranches down the river; he's been using this water for them,"
Bryant explained. "I suppose it's been taken for granted by nearly
everyone that the water belonged to those farms down there, but it
doesn't."

"How much water in this right?"

"Hundred and twenty-five second feet."

"Whew! That takes a chunk out of the Pinas. And I presume that by this
time Menocal knows what you're doing?"