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later he was in saddle, riding steadily ard, his depleted troop of

horse at his heels Up the valley of the Bear Water,

slightly above Glencaid,--far enough beyond the saloon radius to

protect his men from possible corruption, yet within easy reach of the

upon a wooded

terrace overlooking the stage road, and settled quietly down as one of

those nuht to hem in the

dissatisfied redmen, and learn early the extent of their hostile plans

Brant was now in a humor considerably happier than when he first rode

forth from Bethune A natural soldier, sincerely a to active service instantly aroused

his interest, while his mind was ever inclined to respond with

enthusiasm to the fascination of the plains and the hills across which

theirthat journey he had dropped

his earlier burden of regret, and the spirit of the service had left

him cheerfully hopeful of some stern soldierly work He watched the

they made comfortable carave-faced first

sergeant, and then strolled slowly up the valley, his own affairs soon

cootten in the beauty of near-by hills beneath the golden

glory of the ly

Glencaid, dingy and forlorn even at that distance; then he crossed the

narrow strea, and clae of low bushes clung close along

the edge of the su their

intricacies He pressed his way through, coh the overarching branches of great trees, and

the grass was green and short, like that of a well-kept lawn