put the
book I was reading?"

Grant, who told him, took out some accounts, and they lounged in big hide
chairs beside the stove for at least half an hour, though it was
significant that every now and then one of them would turn his head as
though listening, and become suddenly intent upon his task again when he
fancied his companion noticed him. At last Breckenridge laughed.

"It's all right, Larry. There--is--somebody coming. It will be the man
with dollars, and I don't mind admitting that I'll be glad to see him."

Five minutes later the door opened and Muller came in. He looked round him
inquiringly.

"Quilter is not come? I his horse in der stable have not seen," he said.

"No," said Grant sharply. "He would pass your place."

Muller nodded. "He come in und der supper take. Why is he not here? I, who
ride by der hollow, one hour after him start make."

Breckenridge glanced at Grant, and both sat silent for a second or two.
Then the former said, "I'm half afraid we'll have to do without those
dollars, Mr. Muller. Shall I go round and roll the boys up, Larry?"

Grant only nodded, and, while Breckenridge, dragging on his fur coat, made
for the stable, took down two of the rifles and handed one to Muller.

"So!" said the Teuton quietly. "We der trail pick up?"

In less than five minutes the two were riding across the prairie towards
Muller's homestead at the fastest pace attainable in the loose, dusty
snow, while Breckenridge rode from shanty to shanty to call out the men of
the little community which had grown up not far away. It was some time
later when he and those who followed him came up with his comrade and
Muller. The moon still hung in the western sky and showed the blue-grey
smear where horse-hoofs had scattered the snow. It led straight towards a
birch bluff across the whitened prairie, and Breckenridge stooped in his
saddle and looked at it.

"Larry," he said sharply, "there were two of them."

"Yes," said Grant. "Only one left Muller's."

Breckenridge asked nothing further, but it was not the first time that
night he felt a shiver run through him. He fell behind, but he heard one
of the rest answer a question Grant put to him.

"Yes," he said. "The last man was riding a good deal harder than the other
fellow."

Then there was silence, save for the soft trampling of hoofs, and
Breckenridge fancied the others were gazing expectantly towards the
shadowy blurr of the bluff, which rose a trifle