art of
the man they had come to love.

"He must be told," said The Kid at length. "Let's see--he'll want to
get to the end of the line, anyway, and that's over a hundred miles
from here. I say, Ike, you'd better tell him, I guess."

"Well," said Ike slowly, "that there's a purty particular bit of
diplomatics, and I aint used to it. I say," with a sudden inspiration,
"you tell him."

"Couldn't do it, Ike. How would it do to get Father Mike or Sinclair?"

"Yes," said Ike meditatively, "they'd do all right if we weren't here,
but I guess we belong to him 'most more than they do."

"That's so, Ike," said The Kid quickly. "That's so; it's one of us."

"Yes, it's one of us," said Ike, "and if I could do it well, boss, you
wouldn't see no buck."

"All right, Ike," said The Kid, drawing a long breath. "I'll do it."

"I'll remember it, boss," said Ike. "Guess there aint much time to
lose. How is he agoin' to git there?"

"Take the Swallow, Ike," said The Kid. "She's good for a hundred miles."

"Mr. McIntyre's team will be ready to go from his place," said the
stranger, who had come near.

"Good!" said The Kid. "Where are you going, Ike?"

"To git the horses. He'll want to git right off. I guess I'll put him
on Slipper, and I'll take the Swallow. Slipper rides purty easy, and
he's a purty big man."

"All right, Ike," said The Kid. "Remember every minute is precious.
Here, Mac," he continued, turning to Macnamara, who stood looking in at
the door, craning his neck to see and hear what was going on, "slip
around to the side door and tell Mr. Macgregor that I want him right
away."

In a few minutes Shock came running out in high spirits, elated with
the success of the evening. "Hello, old boy!" he cried to The Kid.
"It's great, isn't it? You're a great concert conductor! What do you
want me for?"

The Kid took him by the arm and led him away in silence toward the Old
Prospector's shack, which stood near by.

"What's the matter, Stanton; anything gone wrong?" Still The Kid made
no reply; but, walking to the door of the shack, opened it, and went in
and lit the lamp. "Sit down," he said, pushing Shock into a chair. "I
have something to tell you. There's--there's bad news, I'm afraid. I'll
wait outside." He put the telegram down, went hastily out, and closed
the door, leaving Shock to face the blow where no eye could see.

It seemed an hour to The Kid before Ike came up with the Swallow and
Slipper saddled and rea