prairie.
Nevertheless, their noiseless passage harmonized with the surroundings;
and at last I grew thankful for a slight drowsiness which blunted the
imagination. But there were other riders out on the waste that night, and,
with one hand on the slung rifle, I reined in the horse as three
white-sprinkled figures came up at a gallop. Generally, as far as anything
human is concerned, the prairie is as safe at midnight, if not safer, than
a street in London town; but because game is plentiful there is generally
a gun in the wagon, and when the settlers ride out they often carry a
rifle at their back.

"Halt!" cried a voice I recognized; and there was a jingle of steel as two
skin-wrapped troopers of the Northwest Police wheeled their horses on
either side of me, while another, who spoke with authority, grasped my
bridle. Even in that darkness I could see the ready carbines, and, knowing
what manner of men these riders were, I was glad I could meet them
peaceably.

"Your name and business," said the voice of Sergeant Macfarlane; and a
disappointed laugh followed my reply as that worthy added, "Then if ye
have no' been raiding Coombs lately ye can pass, friend. Seen no one on
the prairie? I'm sorry. Four cattle-lifting rustlers held up Clearwater
Creek, and we're going south for the next post to head them off from the
boundary. Well, time is precious. A fair journey til ye. It's a very
bitter night, and snowing beyond."

With a faint clatter they vanished again; and I did not envy them their
long ride to the next post, with a blizzard brewing. When his work is over
or the snow comes down the settler may sleep snugly and sound, or lounge
in tranquil contentment beside the twinkling stove, while, as the price of
his security, the Northwest Police, snatching sometimes a few hours' rest
under the gray cloud in a trench of snow, and sometimes riding a grim race
with death, keep watch and ward over the vast territories. We do not rear
desperadoes on the prairie, though some few are sent to us. Neither do
they take root and flourish among us, because ours is a hard country and
there are not many men in it worth robbing. However, there had been
trouble over the border when the rich Cattle Barons strove to crowd out
the poor man, and the hardest hit among the latter, with murderous
Winchesters, lay in wait for the oppressor. I do not know the wrongs and
rights of the whole question; neither were details of every skirmish
publishe