nd welcome, only for the sake
of the woman, and because he knows enough about some friends of mine to
make things lively if he talked."

Tetley was of course a rascal, but there was a certain warped honesty in
his dealings with brother rogues--at least so rumor said--and I knew if he
had given his promise he could be trusted, while a few of his perfectly
honest neighbors were sorry when not long afterward Sergeant Angus proved
too sharp for him.

"No, thanks," I answered. "My horse would be worth a great deal in Dakota,
and I'll clear out while I'm sure of him."

"Good-bye, Ralph," said Minnie, when I donned the fur cap and mittens. "I
don't suppose I shall ever see you again--no, of course you won't be
sorry; but you and Jasper were the only two who ever showed me kindness in
this hard, hard country. I wish, oh, how I wish I had never seen it! Tell
my father to forget me, the sooner the better. I have chosen my own way,
and must follow it. It's leading me to prison now."

She appeared about to relapse into hysterics, and knowing that I could not
help her at the moment, and might only make matters worse, I stopped
Fletcher with a threatening gesture as he prepared to address me, and
hurried out with Tetley, who showed me the horse.

"You'll strike Cranton's heading, due east by the chain sloos, in a
league," he said. "He deals with us sometimes, and you needn't fear his
talking. Don't trouble about Mrs. Fletcher. She's all right."

I rode out leading one of the horses, and in due time reached Cranton's,
though I nearly beat the door in before I roused him, and I left him the
next morning with his curiosity unsatisfied. That was the last I ever saw
of Thomas Fletcher. Neither did Sergeant Angus find his trail, for Tetley
knew every foot of the prairie, and enjoyed the reputation of being
unequaled in his own somewhat mysterious business, which I understood
demanded a high proficiency in evading the watchfulness of the police.

CHAPTER XXVIII

THE RECALL OF ADAM LEE

When I returned to Fairmead I wrote two letters. One was to Minnie's
employer, who kept a flourishing implement store further down the line, to
which he had lately added a somewhat primitive hotel, in whose management
I understood Minnie assisted. He was an enterprising, good-natured
Manitoban, and everybody spoke well of his wife, so, having had dealings
with him, I requested an interview.

In the other I told Harry all that had passed, as