ny good up here. 'Tain't the way for
real men to fight. I've got somethin' better'n law."

He shook his fists at Parker. "Better'n law!" he repeated, in a shrill
howl. "Better'n law!" he cried again. "And you'll get it, too."

At first the engineer believed that Ward was about to rally his little
band at the carry camp, but the old man turned and stumped away. His
lawyer tried to interpose and address him, but the colonel angrily
shoved him to one side with such force that the attorney tumbled
backward into the snow.

"Get out my horse!" the colonel screamed, as he advanced toward the
camp.

A helper precipitately backed the turnout from the hovel. Ward leaped
into the sleigh, pulled his peaked fur cap down over his ears, and took
up the reins and big whip. He brandished his great fist at the little
group he had just left.

"Better'n law!" he shouted again. "That for your law!" and he struck his
rangy horse with a crack as loud as a pistol-shot.

The animal leaped like a deer, fairly lifting the narrow sleigh, and
with tails fluttering from his fur robes, his cap's coon tail streaming
behind, away up the tote-road went Gideon Ward on his return to the
deep woods, the mighty din of his myriad bells clashing down the forest
aisles. At the distant turn of the road he hooted with the vigor of a
screech owl, "Better'n law!" and disappeared.

"Your client doesn't seem to be in an especially amiable and lamb-like
mood this morning," said Parker.

The lawyer dusted the snow from his garments.

"Beautiful disposition, old Gid Ward has!" he snarled. "Left me here to
walk sixteen miles to a railroad-station, and never offered to settle
with me."

"You forget the 'Poquette and Sunkhaze Air-Line," Parker smiled. "You
are free to ride back with us when we go."

"No hard feelings, then?" asked the lawyer.

"I'm not small-minded, I trust," returned Parker. The lawyer looked
at the self-possessed young man with pleased interest. This generous
attitude appealed to him.

"Do you realize, young man," he inquired, "that old Gideon Ward never
had a man really back him down before?"

"I don't know much about Colonel Ward personally, except that he has a
very disagreeable disposition."

"You've made him just as near a maniac as a man can be and still go
about his business. There'll be a lot of trouble come from this. Hadn't
you better advise your folks to call it off? They haven't the least
idea, I imagine, what a propositi