fle too late, for Payne had seen his astonishment, and that he was
now on guard.

"Well," he said, "I haven't got them now. Send me a duplicate. You
have, no doubt, some extra forms at the outpost."

Payne decided that the man had never had the documents, but was too
clever to ask any questions or offer explanations that might involve
him. It was evident he knew that somebody had personated him, and the
fact sent a little thrill through the corporal; he was at least on the
trail.

"I'll bring you one round the next time I'm in the neighborhood," he
said, and Winston sat still with the spanner lying idle in his hand
when he rode away.

He realized that Courthorne had taken the papers, and his face grew
anxious as well as grim. The harvest was almost ready now, and a
little while would see it in. Then his work would be over, but he had
of late felt a growing fear lest something, that would prevent its
accomplishment, might happen in the meanwhile. Then almost fiercely he
resumed the stripping of the machine.

An hour or two later Dane rode up, and sat still in his saddle looking
down on Winston with a curious smile on his face.

"I was down at the settlement, and found a curious story going round,"
he said. "Of course, it had its humorous aspect, but I don't know that
the thing was quite discreet. You see, Barrington has once or twice
had to put a stern check on the indulgence in playfulness of that kind
by some of the younger men, and you are becoming an influence at
Silverdale."

"You naturally believed what you heard. It was in keeping with what
you have seen of me?"

Dane's eyes twinkled. "I didn't want to, and I must admit that it
isn't. Still, a good many of you quiet men are addicted to
occasionally astonishing your friends, and I can't help a fancy that
you could do that kind of thing as well as most folks, if it pleased
you. In fact, there was an artistic finish to the climax that
suggested your usual thoroughness."

"It did?" said Winston grimly, remembering his recent visitor and one
or two of Courthorne's Albertan escapades. "Still, as I'm afraid I
haven't the dramatic instinct, do you mind telling me how?"

Dane laughed. "Well, it is probable there are other men who would have
kissed the girl, but I don't know that it would have occurred to them
to smash a decanter on the irate lover's head."

Winston felt his fingers tingle for a grip on Courthorne's throat.
"And that's what I'v