The Valley of Gold

un as he gazed eagerly over the prairi

belave he

the landscape elicited

the howl all right

hat here expanded into a miniature pond some dozen yards across. In Western threshing the tankman draws his water from the nea

Whiskey aside, he was one of the most reliable tankers along the Valley. Wi

ications in their heated conversations on the issue. Easy Murphy was feeling irrepressibly loquacious on this occasion, for he had not

wur-r-rld using yo

ick's no less f

yer boots, Nick, since till-night's the night

g the kibosh on your little, old Outfit. You mark my words, Murphy, when Jack Butte hands

ifle," said Easy, revea

awfully decent of you to accommodate me. We'll

light-heartedly. Then he added slyly, "By the way, Ni

ow of," was th

b McClure's wrenches in o

est percepti

Snoopy Bill Baird, and 'tis achin' I am till spile th

ep into his animated face

thurr blamin' you, Nick. Yer as in

ey and he made a suspicious

gintlemen together on the head uv

-coloured flask

ick. Be afthurr washin'

the bottle

sty eyes. All hostility magically vanished and

al unconcern. "Dad, that's prime stuff!" was h

esilf. Yer over modest, lad. Take a

Easy Murphy kept the bottle supplied from some mysterious source about his person. So the best part of an hour passed and signs began to appear that Nick was rivalling the tanks in the quantity of liquid he was carrying. In the meantime Easy had leisurely filled his own tank. Suddenly The Mogul, McClure's giant engine, sounded the water call. Nick recognized the signal and, dropping the pump-han

across the road and into a field. His horses would have taken the right way, but Nick pulled them up sharply. His eyesight was temporarily impaired. He could see only the goo

ic) Ish the trail

nse. "Go right ahead to yer outfit, Nick, man. It'

he hit the stubble trail he heard the Mogul whistle impatiently for water. A moment later she called again. Turning around, he looked at Nick. He, too, had heard the urgent calls and was standing

y, "it's now we get back the swate and precious min

gry insistence that drove him from her at accelerated speed. The circumstance was too much for the del

the broad Atlantic. Begobs! Call in at Winnipeg. They'r

emptied his tank in preparation for the next trip. His wicked

asy? Been filling your

till the dementin' crathur. 'Tis the whistle uv the Mogul that's drivin' me t

an hour," observed Ned, looking over the stubble at the rival

the tankman, Ned eyed him sharply,

, shading his eyes the better to study the Mogul. "Rob wul

nt on his companion's averted face. His

ty pleased about something and yet not a

nute, Ned, and the most astonis

. You know more about the water shortage at Rob'

n panic, for he had caught sight of Ned's face. The unsmiling eyes filled him with trepidation. When he at length looked up Ned

" said Ne

forcefully, Easy let a broad, sheepish grin p

ll be draggin' out uv me wid the

," repea

by the bottle. We had a wee dthrop. That is, Nick had. Thin he took another and another, et cetra and so on. Nick was oncommon thirsty. In a wurrd, I filled Nick till the neck and pulled the bung uv his tank. The one is impty and the other full. 'Tis the Mogul and me

at the culprit, a kindly light mingling with the flash of his eyes. Then he stepped over to his engine and, seizing the whistle-cord, gave it a jerk, blowing the one sharp

the outfit," cried he, a pe

is little jig on the square. Not a wheel turns on this mil

one. In its place was something big and honest that hushed the angry protest about to leap forth

ys," said Ned, moving a

, fer a divil the loikes uv wan Easy Murphy. Shure 'tis right ye are, though I'm hatin' the idea. I'll hike till the

off to the separator to do the ha

unexpectedness of it. Each man was torn by several desires. He wanted to laugh, to howl, in fact. But something fine in him rendered him mute. There was a great admiration f

haking with laughter. "Wan, two, tree cheer

out while the gang lay back on the stra

g wait there wa

d up by the inspirator and the water was sinking in the glass. The men were perched on a

ed McClure to Snoopy Bill, pointing to the barrels about the engi

e gang to the sudden "hang-up" of the Valley machine. As an hour passed and there was no sig

ed riding the tank and towing his bug

distant hum of the Valley Gang. Into the dark they raged, fighting ahead until eight, when