s "all-night" little town Cameron and the doctor took their
way. The sidewalks were still thronged, the stores still doing business,
the restaurants, hotels, pool-rooms all wide open. It kept
Sergeant Crisp busy enough running out the "tin-horn" gamblers and
whisky-peddlers, keeping guard over the fresh and innocent lambs
that strayed in from the East and across from the old land ready for
shearing, and preserving law and order in this hustling frontier town.
Money was still easy in the town, and had Sergeant Crisp been minded
for the mere closing of his eyes or turning of his back upon occasion he
might have retired early from the Force with a competency. Unhappily for
Sergeant Crisp, however, there stood in the pathway of his fortune the
awkward fact of his conscience and his oath of service. Consequently
he was forced to grub along upon the munificent bounty of the daily pay
with which Her Majesty awarded the faithful service of the non-coms.
in her North West Mounted Police Force. And indeed through all the wide
reaches of that great West land during those pioneer days and among all
the officers of that gallant force no record can be found of an officer
who counted fortune dearer than honor.

Through this wide awake, wicked, but well-watched little town Cameron
with his friend made his way westward toward the Barracks to keep his
appointment with his former Chief, Superintendent Strong. The Barracks
stood upon the prairie about half a mile distant from the town. They
found Superintendent Strong fuming with impatience, which he controlled
with difficulty while Cameron presented his friend.

"Well, Cameron, you've come at last," was his salutation when the
introduction was completed. "When did you get into town? I have been
waiting all day to see you. Where have you been?"

"Arrived an hour ago," said Cameron shortly, for he did not half like
the Superintendent's brusque manner. "The trail was heavy owing to the
rain day before yesterday."

"When did you leave the ranch?" inquired Sergeant Crisp.

"Yesterday morning," said Cameron. "The colts were green and I couldn't
send them along."

"Yesterday morning!" exclaimed Sergeant Crisp. "You needn't apologize
for the colts, Cameron."

"I wasn't apologizing for anybody or anything. I was making a statement
of fact," replied Cameron curtly.

"Ah, yes, very good going, Cameron. Very good going, indeed, I should
say," said the Superintendent, conscious of his own bru