Man Size

ad to a given place. The reason for this was to ward off any suspicion that might have arisen if the watchers had always come and gone by th

and a fellow lived just as long if he didn't break his neck g

warmth of the midday sun did make him sleepy. Something he saw made him slip from the sa

cache was-a man in leather boots, tight riding-breeches, scarlet jacket, and jaunty forage cap. It needed

g of whiskey. The man was Barney. West had no doubt sent word to

into the open. He was a few feet from Barney. In hi

s mouth open, eyes bulging. "Where i

nswered. "Glad to meet you, friend. I'

said Barne

your hands are busy." The constable stepped forward and picked from the ground a rifle. "I've been lying in the b

!" repeat

rrest, you know, for

police." Barney used the rising i

our service," replied the officer jauntily. He was a tr

gonna do

to Fort

were so small and wolfish that Barney usually aroused distrust. He suggested now, with

f business," he added

a chance to rescue him if he would. Beresford's duty was to find out who was back of this liquor running. It w

d. "You may put th

of the rifle butt the officer broke in the top o

Morse chose for putt

s doin'?" he

et, looked straight at

irrigate the prairie

me anything. H

him so promptly. This young man was very muc

w I'm putting on-five thousand dollars'

is this blind tig

just by chance. You'll be able to carry the

y aimin' to spill

Tom began to understand why the clerk at the trading-post had called the Mounted Police go-getters. This smooth-sha

or into forbidden territory. Better to lose the stock than to be barred by the Canadian Government from trading with t

d I have any objec

t told the Irishman to say nothing and know nothi

ly in fact that Morse suspected he would not have been much daunted if obje

ith the bluff he was playing. "Sure. I'll help you

w where they a

ou said," Morse

you go, then." The con

ext, f

t ended in a thick growth of willow saplings. Underneath the

show for the cache but broken barrels and a trough of wet s

t, to play his own small

sford said, stepping aside t

men met for a fraction of a second. Tom's lips framed silen

d slid back. He flung out his arms to steady himself and careened back against the constable. His f

started

ursue Barney. His efforts were vain. Morse, evidently trying to regain his equilibrium, plunged wildly at him

barrel hoops, bushes, staves, a

e he extricated himself almost, only to lose his balance on the slippery bus

icture comedy, if the screen

gulch, Barney was nowhere to be seen. Wi

hich was against the unwritten law of the Force, but he had gained

. "You couldn't have done it better i

ked Morse, with

of me, skated on me, bowl

d. Couldn't get my foot

pparently the trader ha

When he had removed the evidence of the battle of the gulch, he set his cap at the proper

tues, laws, and ordinances of Queen Vic ha

betting the escap

that? And when

war-dance on what was left

st a fellow f

ps. I'm going to take a chan

my six-shooter

ver. If necessary, I'

form the muscles rippled and played when he moved. His shoulders and arms were those of a college oarsman. Lean-flanked and clean-limbed, he was in the hey-day of a splendid youth. It sho

doing?" the whiskey-

ind that out pretty soon. Your revolver,

ht. We're man to man.

to go to Fort M

you wi

or a

ali

on't go?" a

iated a quiet, imperturbable confidence. H

ainst? When I draw this gun I can put a

es

ourse, you pl

t. Against th

ion. You've got only a dead man

e candle. My pals would run you d

intend to

, y

that was to make the North-West Mounted Police such a force in the land. The only way he could prevent this man from arresting him was to kill the constable; and if he killed

ver to Beresford. "

horse till we reach Whoop-U

that's what legs were made f

. The only way to escape arrest was to commit murder. Most men would not go that far, and of those who would the great majority would be deterred because eventually punishment was sure. The slightest hesitation, the least appare

imposed on them. The current whisper was that the whiskey-smugglers would retaliate against the constables in person whenever there was a chance to do so with impunity. Some day a debonair wearer of the scarlet

th smiling confidence. He nodded here and there casually to dark,

Can you let me have a horse for a few days

y. Barney had evidently reach

while ago, constable

corral back o

without a rider?

nd not have come to Whoop-Up unless a rider had guided it here. But somet

. I was in the

" the officer said. "None of you oth

At sight of Morse her eyes passed swiftly to Beresford. His answered smilingly what she had asked. It was all over in a fl

e McRae was paying an installment on the