Winston of the Prairie

lement in the lonely prairie. One leaned against a manger with a pipe in his hand, while the spotless, softly-gleaming harness hung up behind him showe

e shadows beyond its light came the stamping of restless, horses and the

d the greatest thing, and the primitive virtues count for more than wealth or intellect. Courage and endurance still command respect in the new Northwest, and that both the lads possessed them was made evident

frame can endure, when they lie down with only the stars above them, long leagues from the nearest outpost, in a trench scooped in the snow, and they know how near one may come to suffocation and yet live through the grass fires' blinding smoke. It happens now and then that two who have

ile he told nobody why he left it suddenly, nobody thought of asking him. He was known to be a bold rider and careful of his beast, and that was sufficient

r thing than Ailly Blake came out from the old country--but is it need there is for talking when ye've seen her? There was once I wa

ntario and married the daughters of the soil, but the Celtic strain, it was evident, had

"Of course he flung her over

remembered the graceful dark-eyed girl who had given him and his comrade many a welcome meal when their duty took them near her

in the willow bluff, an' Courthorne pulls his divil of a black horse up with as

civil, troo

e black hate choking me at the sight o

thing to yo

. 'And if ye will not tell

ough,' says he, sitting very quiet on the big black horse. 'Any way, I can't tell you where she

d the carbine as he swung the black around with one hand fumbling in his jacket. It came out empty, an' we sat there a moment, the two of us, Courthorne white as death, his eye

ned to Courthorne, made a gesture of disapproval that was tempered by sympathy. It was for he

Pat," said Payne. "Wh

r Shannon, an' dropped the carbine into the wagon. Courthorne wheels

ry for this, my

eing a ---- ass that day. Any way, it's time we went in, and as Larry's

wed motionless figures wrapped in blankets in the bunks round the walls. Two men were, however, dressing, and one already in uniform sat at a table talking to another swathed in furs, who was from his appearance a prairie farmer.

ing me, Larry? What do you fig

st steer lifted one dark night, 'Tis not forgiving the rustlers are, and Courthorne's the divil," he said. "Bu

be you," he said, watching the man out of the corner of his eyes. "Still, I'm a little

" he said. "Sure, it's gospel I'm telling ye, an', as you're knowing well, it's me could tell where the boys who ride a

dded, for he had al

ot thick yet everywhere, there are just two ways they could bring the stuff across, and I figure we'd be near the thing if we fixed on Graham's Pool. S

"I can turn out in ten

for Carson's Crossing, ride for Graham's at a gallop, where you'll find me with the rest. If he makes for the bridge, you will overtake him if you can and find out what he's after. It's quite likely he'll tell you nothing, and you will not arrest him, but bearing in mind that every minute he spends there will

sergeant smiled a little as he glanced a

e said. "Fill up the kettle, Tom, and serve out a pint of coffee. There are

the stove, while the icy wind moaned about the building and the kettle commenced a soft sibilation, but nobody moved or spoke. Three shadowy figures in uniform sat just outside the light, soaking in the grateful warmth while they could, for they knew that they might spend the next night unsheltered from the arctic cold of the wilderness. The Sergea

st outside the door of his homestead. A valise and two thick blankets were strapped to the saddle, and he had do

Go straight through the settlement, and let any man you come across see you. His testimony would come in useful if Stimson

ryly. "I wish I was e

bout me. I'll borrow those books of yours and improve my mind. Possible starvation is the on

he raised one hand, and the other man laughed a little as he watched him sink into the darkness of the shadowy prairie. When the drumming

only sees one of them," he said. "That beast's

across the waste of whitened grass at least a league away by this time. Now and then a half-moon blinked down between wisps of smoky cloud, but for the most part gray dimness hung over the prairie, and the drumming of hoofs rang stridently through the

nd set his blood stirring. For the first time in six years of struggle he did not know what lay before him, and he had a curious, half-instinctive feeling that the trait he was traveling would lead him farther than Montana. It was borne in upon him that he had left the old hopeless life behind, and

s since I felt as I

en into the likeness of adamant, but when the first frame houses flung tracks of yellow radiance across the whitened grass he dropped his

ance! Taking the trail?" he said. "Well, it kind of strikes me it's time you d

ughed with a feeling that was wholly new to him as he remembered that his neighbors now and then bant

here are as keen men as he is," he said. "You will,

much with him--and where did you get those mittens fr

from the light the hand he held the bridle with

his place," he said. "Well, you can tell Stims

of the prairie once more closed down. It was, he knew, probable that some of Stimson's men would be looki

er the drumming hoofs when the blurred outline of a mounted

p there a mome

e of steel which had preceded it, and pressed his heels home. The black swung forward faster, and Winston glancing

want a tal

emembering Courthorne's English flung b

ormed a covering that rendered fast riding possible to a man who took the risks, and Winston knew there were few horses in the Government service to match the one he rode. Still, it was evident that the trooper meant to overta

shoulder showed him that there was less than a hundred yards between them, and he fancied he heard a portentous rattle as well as the thud of hoofs. It was not unlike that made

him and the pursuer was drawing out, while when he stared ahead again the dark shape of willows or birches cut the sky-line. As they came back to him the drumming of hoofs swelled into a staccato roar, while presently the trail grew steep, and dark boughs swayed above him. In another few minutes something smooth and l

d last heard it and grew momentarily less audible, and Winston laughed as he

en it up, and now fo