en't seen you so obviously contented
for months, and yet the work before us may be grim enough. The most
unpleasant point about it is that Clavering must have got hold of one of
your warrant forms. It was a mistake to trust anybody with one not filled
in."

"Well, I feel that way too," Grant confessed, "and at the same time I'm
desperately anxious. We are going to have trouble with the boys right
along the line, and there is no man living can tell what will happen if
any of them go down in an affair with the cavalry."

"It wouldn't be difficult to guess what the consequences would be if they
cut the track just before the stock train came through. You are quite sure
they have not changed their minds again?"

"Yes," said Larry quietly. "I bluffed it out of Harper. He would have
taken a hand in, and only kicked when it came to taking lives. More of the
others cleared out over that point, too, and as the rest were half-afraid
of some of those who objected giving them away, they changed their plans;
but it seems quite certain they mean to pull the rails up at the bend on
the down grade by the bunch grass hollow. It is fortunate, any way. Cheyne
and his cavalry will be watching the bridge, you see; but you had better
get ready. I'll have the last instructions done directly, and it will be
morning before you are through."

Breckenridge poured himself out a big cup of coffee from the jug on the
stove, put on a black leather jacket, and went out to the stable. When he
came back, Grant handed him a bundle of notes.

"You will see every man gets one and tell him all he wants to know. I dare
not put down too much in black and white. They are to be round at the rise
behind the depot at six Thursday night."

"You believe they will come?"

"Yes," Grant said firmly. "They are good men, and I'm thankful there are
still so many of them, because just now they are all that is standing
between this country and anarchy."

Breckenridge smiled a little, but his voice was sympathetic. "Well," he
said, "I am glad, on my own account, too. It's nicer to have the chances
with you when you have to reckon with men of the kind we are going to
meet, but I shall not be sorry when this trouble's through. It is my first
attempt at reforming and a little of it goes a long way with me. I don't
know that there is a more thankless task than trying to make folks better
off than they want, or deserve, to be."

He went out with a packet of messages, an