chapter two . he remembered his parents talking of Maine , where they came from , a vague and distant place girded with rocks and bound by hard winters . thinking back sometimes , was pleasant in a painful way , and the sum of recollection inclined him to believe his parents had settled the emerald meadows because they reminded them of Maine . small , rich fields interspersed with fingerlings of forest , along the swift-falling curves and bends of the watershed they had called Roan &apos;s Creek . it was easy to recall the slab-house under trees that leaned and creaked like antiquated gladiators when winter hurled its fierce assaults . and the creek that flowed southward , down towards the flat belly of prairie , and squandered its clear-water strength there . and the crooked road wrought by his father with its fringe of shade the full length ; a narrow old snake of a road , all shade-mottled and dusty looking , leading up out of the prairie into the blue-shaggy beyond ; into the highland where deer and bear and all manner of game lived ; where meadows lay hidden , swollen with stirrup-high grass . there was a great fullness to the uplands , where the land swept back from the prairie-desert , broadening out , lifting higher and becoming wilder in its rich fertility until it burst against the sky in a dark and straining way . somehow , Ben thought , and not only because there was beauty up there , that land had a hold on him . he &apos;d travelled far and wide , seen tons of country , some full of beauty and a grand solemnity that made a man hurt for looking on it ; some harsh and forbidding , some jagged and untamed , or tilted against the flaming sunsets , or flat and docile , but he had never seen a country that reached down inside and gripped him like the uplands he &apos;d known since infancy , held him now . he belonged there . nothing ; man , animal , or element , could turn him away . least of all the Marlows . he arose and dressed with these thoughts ; he ate at the diner with them for company , then he went over and bought a sturdy wagon from the liveryman , to implement them . he also bought a team of big bay horses , a good set of harness . then he drove to the Deming mercantile company and loaded up kegs of nails , a big grindstone , two axes and two saws , all the impedimenta of building , all the requisites for putting down roots . and finally , with his saddlehorse tied to the tailgate , his carbine on the seat beside him , he took his way northward out of Deming . Cliff Thompson lingered in the shade of the Oasis Saloon &apos;s overhang , smoking a cigarette , and watching . when the wagon was lost in the shimmering , heat-scourged distance , he flung the cigarette down and stamped on it . it irritated him that Ben Roan would not see that he was heading straight for a killing ; his own or someone else &apos;s . morning , Marshal . was n&apos;t that Ben Roan that drove that wagon out of town ? Thompson bent a hard look at the lawyer . it was , he said shortly . why did n&apos;t you tell him to wait until there was a hearing over that road before going up there ? someone has to bring action before there &apos;s any case , Marshal . Thompson looked unpleasant . yeh , he said . I know . there are two sides to the law - your side and my side . I get paid to prevent trouble and you get paid for starting it . in fact , you do n&apos;t get paid unless it does start . Charlie Bell squinted northward . unless there &apos;s a restraining order issued to prevent him from using that road , it &apos;s his right to use it . he can go up there any time he wants to . you know that . so far there &apos;s only been talk , and talk does n&apos;t mean a thing . law-book theory , Thompson said shortly . did you ever try law-book theory against a cocked pistol , Bell ? do n&apos;t be ridiculous . as a matter of fact , you should be riding up there with him . that &apos;s the only way you can prevent trouble - stop it before it starts . if you can do that , there &apos;ll be no need for attorneys . now who &apos;s being ridiculous ? you know damned well I can n&apos;t forbid either the Marlows or Ben Roan from fighting one another without a court order , and by the time I get the order , the killing has already begun . I wish folks who make laws had to carry law books in their holsters instead of guns . Bell continued to squint into the distance and Marshal Thompson fell into a deep and disgusted silence . a solitary vertical groove of disapproval lay deep between his eyebrows . Ben drove steadily and did not look back . Deming squatted far back in the quivering heat one moment , and the next moment it blurred into a soiled murk low against the roll of far horizon . his thoughts were on other things . the Marlows might have money now , good horses and a large herd , but he knew men ; that kind did n&apos;t change inwardly . he knew from a dozen gunfights that it was what lay inside men that counted , not their bankrolls nor their herds , nor the quality of their stock . the Marlows had never had it , and all the money in the world would n&apos;t put it into them . they might try scaring him out ; probably would . or they might shoot his horses , or even try to bushwhack him , but when it came to stand-up-and-fight , or cut and run , lead bullets or fast horses , he knew which way they &apos;d go . he forged steadily ahead towards the blue-shadows where the land swelled upwards with a heavy lift and fullness . he kept a sharp watch but made no attempt to conceal his coming by clinging to the creek-willows or the meagre shadows . if they were watching , let them watch . if they &apos;d found a pinch of guttiness among them , let them show it . he was drinking in the beauty of the shade and the uplands &apos; deep silence when movement to his right , a quiver of colour , of red and white , snagged at the corner of his vision . facing swiftly half around , one hand moving in a blur , he saw the horse , head up , tail high and waving , running westward . a lemon-yellow sun , burning-huge , cast a haziness over the distance . he watched the horse long enough to discern flopping stirrups and broken reins , then he back-traced with his eyes to where the sprawl of colour lay in the dead grass ; swung the team , urged them closer and kept staring at the vivid hues until he was close enough to make out arms and legs , then he slowed , set the brake and jumped down . he rolled her over with one hand , straightened her limbs and knelt there wondering who she was , where she had come from . her blouse was tight-rising , violent red , and her riding skirt was creamy and expensive looking . her face , even in unconsciousness , was square , full-lipped , and wilful appearing , and a thick riot of auburn hair glistened fiercely in the sunlight . he shaded her face with his hat and waited . she was uninjured so far as he could see , except for being knocked senseless by the fall . he twisted to look after the horse . it had disappeared . he was smoking and studying the upland shadows when she said , oh &amp;hellip; ! he punched out the cigarette , lifted her head and smoothed away the hair . what happened , ma&apos;m ? oh &amp;hellip; . he bucked me off . he propped her up against his knee , put his hat back on and bent to shield her from the sun . nothing &apos;s broken that I could find . the girl felt the back of her head and said , ouch ! he watched her a moment , then gripped her by both arms . come on ; you can stand up . I &apos;ll drive you home . she looked into his face for the first time , and her long eyes narrowed . who are you ? Ben Roan . I own some land up in the foothills . Roan &amp;hellip; ? she blinked and stared . he nodded . and who are you , ma&apos;m ? Sarahlee Marlow . he stared . Marlow ? kin to old Will and the others ? Will is my uncle . the boys are my cousins . I do n&apos;t recollect ever hearing of any other Marlows hereabouts . my people live in Santa Fe . I &apos;ve been up here since last May looking after grandpaw . he &apos;s very old . well , Ben said , helping her to arise . come on ; I &apos;ll drive you on up to the Marlow place . while he was setting the lines straight with his back to her , she straightened her clothes , brushed herself off , and looked westerly , after the horse , with anger in her eyes , but she said nothing . he helped her up , went around and climbed up beside her , and flicked the lines . the team leaned , the wagon ground back onto the road , and for a while the only sound was of iron tyres grinding down into the gritty dust . where the green bog lay the ascent began . Ben slapped with the lines , the team leaned into their collars , and the trail steepened . not until they were on the level again , moving through tree-shade , did the girl speak . what you &apos;re doing is foolish , Mr Roan . is it ? Ben said easily , without looking around at her . it does n&apos;t seem that way to me . he let the lines lie slack . the team dropped their heads and toed into the next upgrade . my cousins will n&apos;t let you do it . he turned , finally , and gazed at her . you know , ma&apos;m . I &apos;ve heard that before . I did n&apos;t believe it then , and I do n&apos;t believe it now . you have no right-of-way to the old Roan place . ma&apos;m , my father built this road almost thirty years ago . before the Marlows were in this country . but the road has n&apos;t been used since you left . maybe not , but whether I &apos;ve got a right or not is for a law-court to decide - not your cousins , or your uncle . Ben shrugged slightly , studied the land ahead , then said , I can n&apos;t make old Will like the idea of my being up in here , but he might as well get used to the idea . she studied his profile for a moment , before she said , you &apos;re going to make a lot of unnecessary trouble , Mr Roan . no ; I &apos;m not going to make any trouble . all I &apos;m going to do is build a cabin , a barn , some corrals , and try to live in peace . if there &apos;s trouble it will n&apos;t be me that starts it . he was going to say more when movement among the trees ahead caught his attention . the lines lay in his left hand ; the right hand was curled and moving when a big-framed man moved out into the road in front of the team . he was holding a carbine one-handed ; it was cocked . that &apos;s far enough , Roan . Ben recognised Harold Marlow . hello , Hal , he said quietly . Sarahlee ! the way Marlow said it , it sounded like Sally . what &apos;n tarnation you doing up there ? that horse El gave me bucked me off . are you hurt ? no ; but - El told you he was green-broke . it &apos;s a wonder you did n&apos;t get hurt bad . Marlow gestured with the carbine . get down off&apos;n there . wait a minute , Ben said . she &apos;ll get down when you empty that carbine . the big man looked hard at Roan . empty hell , he said . you &apos;re not talking to Guy now . you &apos;re going to turn that caravan around and head back out of here . be a shame to see you kill your cousin , Ben said . be sure you shoot straight , Hal . Roan ! do n&apos;t try it ! behind two big horses and beside a girl ? of course I &apos;m going to try it . the odds &apos;re in my favour . one of the team-horses blew its nose and the girl started . her single do n&apos;t was half scream , half sob . neither man looked at her . the silence was tight around them all . Harold , let him go . can n&apos;t , Sarahlee ; you know that . then wait until I get down . Ben caught her right wrist with his left hand . he never took his eyes off Hal . all right , he said . 