approval, Bob made
his change. Nor was he received at headquarters with any blare of
trumpets.

"I'll put you on as 'temporary' until the fall examinations," said
Thorne, "and you can try it out. Rangering is hard work--all kinds of
hard work. It isn't just riding around, you know. You'll have to make
good. You can bunk up with Pollock at the upper cabin. Report to-morrow
morning with him."

Amy smiled at him brightly.

"Don't let him scare you," said she. "He thinks it looks official to be
an awful bear!"

California John met him as he rode out the gate. He reached out his
gnarled old hand.

"Son, we'll get him to send us sometime to Jack Main's Canon," said he.

Bob, who had been feeling the least shade depressed, rode on, his head
high. Before him lay the great mysterious country where had penetrated
only the Pioneers! Another century would build therein the structures
of its institutions. Now, like Jack Main's Canon, the far country of new
things was to be the field of his enterprise. In the future, when the
new generations had come, these things would all be ordered and secure,
would be systematized, their value conceded, their acceptance a matter
of course. All problems would be regulated; all difficulties smoothed
away; all opposition overcome. Then the officers and rangers of that
peaceful and organized service, then the public--accepting such things
as they accept all self-evident truths--would look back on these
beginnings as men look back on romance. They would recall the time when,
like knights errant, armed men rode abroad on horses through a
wilderness, lying down under the stars, living hard, dwelling lowly in
poverty, accomplishing with small means, striving mightily, combating
the great elemental nature and the powers of darkness in men, enduring
patiently, suffering contempt and misunderstanding and enmity in order
that the inheritance of the people yet to come might be assured. He was
one of them; he had the privilege. Suddenly his spirit felt freed. His
old life receded swiftly. A new glory and uplift of soul swept him from
his old moorings.

PART FIVE

I

Next morning Bob was set to work with young Jack Pollock stringing
barbed wire fence. He had never done this before. The spools of wire
weighed on him heavily. A crowbar thrust through the core made them a
sort of axle with which to carry it. Thus they walked forward, revolving
the heavy spool with the greatest care while