re are two trails," said Sergeant Angus. "Yon one up the other side
leads south away for Dakota; this follows the coulee to Jake Tetley's.
Tom, ye're proud o' your tracking, ride on to Tetley's, an', for Jake's
good at lyin', look well for the scrape o' runners if he swears he has
not seen them. Finding nothing, if ye strike southeast over the rises,
ye'll head us off on the Dakota trail. I'm thinking they're hurrying that
way for the border, and we'll wait for ye by the Blackfoot ridge."

He rubbed a fizzing sulphur match into sickly flame; but, as the banks
were steep, and that bridge formed a favorite crossing, the snow showed
the recent passage of many runners, and there was nothing to be learned
from them. The wood was thicker than usual, and from what we could see
there was no way a sleigh could traverse it quickly except by the two
trails. So the trooper departed for Tetley's dwelling, which lay some
distance up the coulee, while we breasted the opposite slope and proceeded
more slowly through the darkness across the plain. Half an hour later we
waited a while on the crest of one of the gradual rises which are common
thereabout, until presently a hail answered the sergeant's cry, and the
trooper rejoined us.

"They've not been near Tetley's," he said. "Must have pushed on straight
ahead of us. I made him bring a lantern, and prospected down the trail,
but nothing on four legs has come up it for a week at least."

"Where do you think they have gone?" I asked, and the sergeant answered
wearily:

"The deil knows, but it will be south. Weel, we have our orders, an' their
cattle are failing, while even if we miss them we'll strike their trail by
daylight."

"I hope you will," I answered. "I'm anxious about my horse, but I can't go
any further to-night. He's a big chestnut, branded small O inside the
Carrington C. You'll be careful with him, won't you?"

"On with ye, boys," said the sergeant. "A fair passage home, Mr. Lorimer;
I'm envying ye a warm seat by the stove to-night," and the mounted figures
disappeared into the gloom, while more leisurely I headed back toward the
coulee. Orders were orders with the Northwest Police, and though they had
ridden under Arctic cold most of the day they must also spend the night in
the saddle if the horses could keep their footing much longer, which,
however, seemed doubtful. The search might last several days, and I could
not leave Aline so long, while a Brandon man of busine