smooth expanse of snow. The light ahead
grew brighter as he trotted on, urging his jaded mount in order to give
the inmates of the homestead as short a warning as possible. Suddenly
another patch of brightness appeared. It was a narrow streak at first,
but it widened into an oblong and then went out. Somebody had opened the
door of the homestead, and the next moment the first gleam faded and all
was dark. Curtis was inclined to think this a mistake on Jepson's part,
but he kept a very keen watch as the buildings grew into plainer shape
against the shadowy bluff. He knew he must have been visible some minutes
earlier.

At length he rode up to the little square house, which rose abruptly from
the plain without fence or yard. It was dark and silent, and he was glad
to remember that it had only one door, though there were one or two
buildings close behind it. He was so numbed that it was difficult to
dismount, but he got down clumsily and beat on the door for several
minutes without getting an answer. This confirmed his suspicions, for he
was convinced that Jepson had heard his vigorous knocking. Then the
moonlight, which might have been useful now, died away, and the plain
faded into obscurity. Curtis was making another attack on the door when a
window above was flung up and a man leaned out, holding what looked
suggestively like a rifle.

"Stand back from that door!" he cried. "What in thunder do you want?"

"Drop your gun!" said Curtis. "Come down right now and let me in!"

"I guess not! If you don't light out of this mighty quick, you'll get
hurt!"

"Quit fooling, Jepson! You know who I am!"

"Seem to know your voice now," said the other, leaning farther out. "Why,
it's Curtis!" He laid down the rifle and laughed. "You were near getting
plugged. Figured you were one of those blamed rustlers--the country's
full of them--Barton back at the muskeg lost a steer last week. What I
want to know is--why the police don't get after them? Guess it would be
considerably more useful than walking round the stations with a quirt
under your arm."

The man was not talkative as a rule, and Curtis surmised that he wished
to delay him.

"Come down!" he said sternly.

"I'll be along quick as I can," the other answered, and shut the window.

While he waited, Curtis listened with strained attention. He was inclined
to think that Glover had already left the house, which must nevertheless
be searched, but he could hear nothing excep