wing. "And what has that got to do with the levels of this land?"
he asked with disconcerting directness.

But Mr. Braden shirked the show-down.

"Do with it, do with it!" he sputtered. "Oh, not a thing, not a damned
thing, of course. You were my agent to conclude this sale, and you threw
me down."

"I wasn't your agent. I was acting for Chetwood."

"You were to get a commission from me."

"I told you I couldn't take one."

"Well, you won't get one," Mr. Braden snapped. "Levels! What do you know
about levels? I'll get somebody that does."

But for some reason Mr. Braden did not do so.

It was nearly a week after this interview, that old Paul Sam rode up on
his paint pony, leading Chief.

"Me sell um cooley kuitan," he announced.

"Who bought him?" Angus asked. For answer the old Indian drew forth from
the recesses of his garment a slip of paper, which he handed to Angus.
The latter read:

"Dear Mackay: I want you to let me have the pleasure of
presenting a good horse with a good owner. This, not by way of
payment for the service you did me, but in token of my
appreciation of kindness to a pilgrim and a stranger here. Am
leaving for a few weeks, and will look you up on my return.
Faithfully,

"E. W. F. CHETWOOD.

"P. S.--Don't be a bally ass. Keep the horse."

From this surprising letter Angus lifted his eyes to the big chestnut.
As he did so he realized that he had wanted him very badly. He took the
lead rope from the old Indian.

"All right, Paul Sam," he said. "Thanks for bringing him over. Put your
cayuse in the stable and come up to the house and have some muckamuck."

CHAPTER XIV

A FIGHT WITH A GRIZZLY

Now, though Angus was working hard under pressure, the hard part of it
was not the work but the things he wanted to do and could not. Though he
plugged away steadily at his tasks, his thoughts were not of them, but
of lonely trails, and steep hills, and deep timber, and the surging
waters tumbling down in nameless creeks from hoary old glaciers; and he
would have given all he owned if he could with a clear conscience have
quit the ranch work and taken a holiday. But as he could not, he worked
on grimly.

Occasionally, however, he rode the range after stock, and on these
occasions he carried a rifle, on the chance of getting a shot at a deer.
Invariably now he rode Chief, who was becoming a most dependable saddle
horse. And so one bright fall