r the first time now they could hear the hoofs of the two teams
sinking into and pulling out of mud. It grew deeper as they descended
the long grade toward the bridge and clouds obscured the light of the
stars.

With the horses stumbling on, the women watched for something to meet
either sight or hearing, but there was nothing until they again neared
the creek. Then the same vague roar rose on the night and as they
rimmed the bench above the creek a faint, ghastly light on the eastern
horizon betokened a rising moon. Down the trail they stopped in
darkness and Bradley again clambered down from his box with the lantern
to investigate.

"'Z fur 'z I c'n see," he reported when he came back, "th' bridge is
all right, but mos'ly under water."

"Can we get across?" Belle Shockley asked querulously.

Bradley answered with hesitation: "Why--yes----"

"Oh, good!"

"And no."

"What does that mean?" snapped Belle.

"We can't get across tonight--we might in the mornin'."

Kate kept silence, but Belle was persistent. "What are we going to
do?" she demanded; "go 'way back to Sleepy Cat?"

"Not in a milyun years," returned Bradley, calmly. "We're goin' to
pull out t' one side 'n' camp right here till daylight. Ef I didn't
have you wimmen on my hands, I might take a chanst with the mail," he
went on, drawing his horses carefully around to where he meant to camp.
"Me and the horses could make it, even 'f we lost the wagon. But I
w'dn't like the job of huntin' for you folks in the Crazy Woman with a
lantern--not tonight. She's surely a-rip-roarin'. Well; t'hell with
her 'n' all creeks like her, say I," he wound up, chirruping kindly to
his uncomplaining beasts.

"You don't like creeks," suggested Belle.

"Dry creeks--yes. Wouldn't care if I never seen another wet creek from
now till kingdom come--Whoa, Nellie!" he called to the off lead mare
who was feeling the way for her companions back to a safe spot for a
halt. "This is good, right here."

Belle showed her fellow-traveler how to lie down with some comfort on
the leather seat, and as they had one for each she gave Kate her
choice. Kate, to put Belle between her and any man in front, took the
back seat. The side curtains were let down and with a mail sack
supplied by Bradley for a pillow, Kate, drawing her big coat over her,
curled up for a rest.

The excitement of the journey had worn away. The delay she was
disposed to accept philosophically. It too