more or less friction, but
Geordie had begun to take a fancy to him. Cullin would never have said
what he did had he known the identity of Toomey's pupil, and Geordie
argued that Cullin's gruff and insolent greeting was in reality a
tribute to his powers--a recognition of the fact that he looked the
part he was trying to play.

With so very much at stake depending on Graham's remaining
unrecognized, with old Fort Reynolds only six miles ahead, and Silver
Shield only twenty-six farther, it would be foolish to become involved
in a squabble. But Toomey had been nursing his wrath. Big Ben was not
too fond of Cullin, and Geordie found that they were quite bent on
making trouble at first opportunity. In spite of the early hour an air
of excitement pervaded the station. Many men were idling about the
passenger platform, and here and there little groups could be seen in
muttered conversation. There was no laughter, no light-hearted chaff.
It was noted by both men in the cab, before Geordie rejoined them, that
as the injured man was borne on his stretcher across the yard into the
passenger station, these groups seemed rather to edge away instead of
crowding about in morbid curiosity.

No need to ask who or what they were. The pallor of the faces, so
startling in contrast to the healthy tan of the ranch folk or the
swarthy grime of the railway men--the mud-splashed boots and trousers
told their tale. They were miners to a man, and miners in ugly mood.

"The town's been full of 'em since noon yesterday," said a yardman to
Ben, in answer to his question. "They are here to see the Silver Shield
officers, and have been told they'd be up from Denver on No. 3. They
chased old Breifogle out of his office yesterday afternoon, and he's
been hiding ever since. Young Breifogle has been missing ever since
yesterday noon."

"That's him on the stretcher," said Big Ben, gloomily, for the news was
already flying round. "Cullin says he's about done for. This young
feller in here took care of him all the way up from Buffalo Butte. No.
4 picked him up down the gulch and put him aboard us there."

A long whistle was the only comment. At the first words spoken by the
yardman, a quick glance passed between the two young men on the
opposite, the fireman's, side of the cab. They could not see the
speaker, but they knew the voice. It was that of a former trooper of
the --th, another soldier who had sought to treble his savings at the
mines and had