le Creek, and far beyond, the plains lay unbroken save by the deep canyons where, through the process of ages, mountain streams had worn their beds down to gravel

the hot rays which fell from an opalescent heaven. At some of the more important fords trading posts had come into being, whither the ranchmen journeyed twice a year for groceries, clothing, kerosene, and other liquids handled as surreptitiously

l, the fourth shelter. Grass there was everywhere; a fine, short, hairy crop which has the peculiar quality of self-curing in the autumn sunshine and so furnishing a natural, uncut hay for the herds in the winter months. Water there was only where the mountain streams plowed their canyons through the deep subsoil, or at little lakes of surface drainage, or, at rare intervals, at points where pure springs broke forth from the hillsides.

stretched under the hot sunshine unbroken to the rim of heaven; that brown grass glowing with an almost phosphorescent light as it curled close to the mother

lleys lost to the vision which leapt only from summit to summit. In the clear air the peaks themselves seemed not a dozen miles away, but Y.D. had not ridden cactus, sagebrush and prairie

purple range. Then he spat decisively over his horse's shoulder and made a strange "cluck" in his throat. The knowing animal at o

he world, a horse and rider hove in view. They came on leisurely,

en of countenance. The iron grey of his hair and moustache suggest

g to a halt a few feet from Y.D

id not invite conversation, and, on the o

tally. Then, relaxing somew

nt spot to camp. You're a stranger here?" The older man was evidentl

umb big country, for sure, an' I guess a man ca

the other man's close

wrong with it?

e. I just wondered what

-your-business curl of his lip. But he had carried his cu

damned to you!" The stranger's strong f

the other man was unarmed. You ca

e you some advice. First-get rid of that artillery. It will do you more harm than good. And second, when a stranger speaks to you civilly, answer him the

f fine courtesy within reasonable bounds; always a hard hitter when those bounds are exceeded. Y.D. knew that he had made at least a tactical blunder; his sensitiveness about his brand would arouse,

'll move on," he said, turning his bac

t the Upper Forks, through some freak of formation, the stream divided into two. From this point was easy access into the valleys of the Y.D. and the South Y.D., as they were subsequently called. The stream rippled over beds of grey gravel, and mountain trout darted from the rancher's shadow as it fell across the water. Up the valley, now ruddy gold with the changing colors of autumn, white-capped mountains looked down from amid the infinite silences; and below, broad vi

le; drew off saddle and bridle and turned the animal free. The die was cast; this was the spot. Within ten minutes his ax was ringin

t was on the trail of trappers and prospectors working into the mountains. Traders, too, in mysterious commodities, moved mysteriously bac

sat about the little square table, that one of the visitors f

casually. "Some winter losses, of cou

down the valley say your c

, laying down his ca

lson, for

t --," he shouted, "an' I let him talk to me like a Su

irst," the others protes

out his honor, and the inference from Wilson's rema

"I'll make that Englishman e

greed. "The only thing to do.

I need a body-guard for a little chore like that? Huh!

o serious damage until the morning. Before that time his company, with many demonstra

h. During the drinking and gambling of the night he had been able to keep the insult in the background, but, alone under the mo

l as Y.D. came up. He was alone save fo

lariat. It fell true over the Englishman, catching him about the arms and the middle of the body. Y.D. took a half-hitch of the lariat about h

mb to his feet, but a quick jerk of the lariat sent him prostrate again. In a moment Y.D

o's too handy with h

me a man's chance and I'll thra

few yards farther. "How's the goin', Frank?" he said, in mo

dicate what might happen. The girl who had been tending the fire was rushing upon him with a red-hot iron ex

ried in a fury of recklessnes

nslaught he failed to clear it properly, and stumbled to the groun

he said. An

ms around it with your back to

he revolver while she released t

Dad?" she inqui

," he answered, scr

. Now we'l

from Y.D.'s, climbed it leisure

white man, with your fists. I'll sit up here and see tha

if I will,

nd the bullet cut dan

she cried, "or you won't be a

and and Wilson to

"pile in. There's no time limit. Fight

occasionally a better man than he was at thirty. Any disadvantages Wilson suffered from being shaken up in the lariat were counterbalanced by Y.D.'s branding. His face was burning painfully, and his vision was n

minute before he could steady himself. He realized now that he had a fight on his hands. He was too cool a head to get

n. But Y.D. was learning, and this time he was on guard. He dodged the blow, broke in and seized Wilson about the body. The two men stood for a moment like bulls with locked horns. Y.D. brought his weight to bear on his antagoni

ughing at him. Somewhere on the horizon Wilson's figure whipped forward and back. Then his horse came into the circle. Y.D. rose to his f

as he came," Wilson remarked to his daughter

in his face by a slip of a girl. He exhausted his by no means limited vocabulary of epithets, but even his torrents of abuse brought no solace to him. The hot sun beat down on his wounded face and hurt terribly, but he almost for

himself as such-until to-day. With all his roughness Y.D. had a sense of honor as keen as any razor blade. If he allowed himself wide latitude in some matters it was because he had lived his life in an atmosphere where the wide latitude was the thing. The prairie had been his bed, the sky his roof, himself his own policeman, judge, and

the burning iron. Then he saw her on the post, sitting, with apparent impartiality, on guard over the fight. Yes, she had been impartial, in a way. Y.D. was willi

turning generosity. He had reached his cabin, and was dressing his face

m in the light of the day's experience. The more he thought of his behavior the less defen

ng bout, a night at cards, a whirl into excess, and that would pass away. But this loneliness was different. The moan of the wind in the spruce trees communicated itself to him with an eerie oppressiveness. He sat up and lit a lamp.

"I believe you've got nerves.

man brought Wilson's daughter back vividly before

t was life-his life. That blank wall was his life.... If only it had a window in it; a bright space through which the vision c

his yard. Wilson stiffened instantly, as though setting himself against t

old Y.D. would have come back with a gun for vengeance. Well, I ain't after vengeance. I reckon yo

Wilson, heartily, extending his han

t the women folks. It turned out that Mrs. Wilson had been at a neighboring ranch for some days, and the

nspicuous matter-of-factness, "Y.D

s harder than meeting Wilson. He felt that h

ength, "I just thought I'd run in an'

ld not tell whether the note in her voice was o

irl. She more than realized his fantastic visions of the night. She had mastered him. Perhaps

started breakin' in an outlaw yesterday, so

s finished. He had not known that a w

e he was sure the note in her voice was one o

l it that," he said,

-the ceremonies, is no reason that you should want to marry me,-or I, you. You'll find water

f a little boy being

the valley from The Forks, and to that cabin one