rie, fading from grey to purple, ran back to the dusky east, and the little cool breeze that came up out of the silence and flowed into the room had in it the

chelor dwelling a curiously homelike appearance. Nevertheless, it was not the recollection of its usual dreariness that called up the sigh, for Larry Grant had had his dreams like other men, and Miss Muller was not the woman he had now and then daringly picture

the land, now you've

d. It is der first-grade hard wheat she will

; but I usually try to do the square thing, and you

ller, "so you

ls in you'll have the same right to homestead a quarter or half section for nothing as any other man. In the meanwhile, I

is much dot is not clear to m

ove a plough. You want to know why? Well, I guess it was for much the same reason that an association of our big manufacturers bought up the patents of an improved process, and for a long while never made an ounce of mate

er, "dot is demo

upon us when they will; but the cattle-men have got the country, and it will hurt them to let go. It's not their land, and was only lent them. Now I'm no fonder of trouble than any other man, bu

apparently no use for a younger son at all, and it was kicks and snubs it usually bestowed on me; but if there's a row on hand I'm

rican with a firm belief in the greatness of his country's destiny

worth having unless he fought for it, and we've taken on a tolerably big contract. We're going to open up this state f

aid Muller, "she

ppression, and brutality, then comes revolution, and worse things than you had before, progress growing out of it that lasts for a f

piral. Der progress she march, it is true, round und round, but she is arriv

ogress down tolerably flat between them occasionally. Take our old cathedral cities and some of your German ones, and, if you demand it, I'l

ilization is incomblete, but der force is from der bottom. It is all time

n storing us food for the wheat plant for thousands of years, and there's more gold in our black soil than was ever dug out of Mexico or California. St

rom him, stared in wonder. They were drawings and calculations relating to

servation make how you build d

you want in the birch bluff, and I'll lend you one or two of the boys I brou

s, eager American, and adventurous Englishman, each made ready for it in his own fashion. Free as yet from passion, or desire for fame, they were willing to take up the burden that was to be laid upon them; but only the one who knew the least awaited it joyously. Others had also the same thoughts up and down that lonely land, and the dusty cars were already bringing the vanguard of the homeless host in. Th

on; but on the fourth a dusky wall of foliage followed the crest of a ravine, and the murmur of water came up faintly from the creek in the hollow. Between himself and its slender birches lay piled amidst the parched and dusty grass, and the first courses of a wooden building, rank with the smell of sappy timber, already stood in front of him. There was no no

quietly, "I think t

ung over the crest of a rise, and then went on with her knitting agai

rts, wide hats, and knee-boots that fitted them like gloves; and there was ironical amusement in their faces. Each sat his horse as if he had never known any other seat than the saddle; but the fourth was differe

his voice had a little commandi

ctacles, but he had in the meanwhile come upon his axe, and no

d. "Mine hou

et, "I fancy you're wasting time. Asked anyb

miling, "when it is nod neces

ancy that's where you're wrong. Boys, we'll take him along in case To

upon the bridle that sent it plunging. "Get your foot i

n saw his daughter for the first time. He laughed; but there was something in his bl

nce has his notions, or Coyote might have carried Miss Hamburg that

amed broncho rose with hoofs in the air. Its owner smote it on the nostrils with his fist, and the pair sidled round each

other day I der pleasure have

ckrider. "Ever seen an

der. "Der rifle," he said drily. "I was at Se

moved forward, Muller stepped back; but this time there was an ans

on," said another man. "

armers or lumbermen from the bush of Michigan, and Clavering knew such men usually possessed a terrible proficiency with the keen-edged weapon, and stubbornness was native in them. Two others, one of whom

ng, what you and your cow-b

Teutonic friend up to the Range. He is cutti

ly; "he has mine. Th

er rights with your le

the bluff is big enough, and I've no objection to their cutting what billets

; but don't you think you had better leave this thing to Torrance? The fact is, the catt

d to this State. It's not

ds better that way. Have it so. Still, it will scarce

I'm tolerably unpopular already. But that'

as he was about to wheel his horse a young Englishman whose

ng if you got down and expressed your regrets to the

g the switch he held. "Drop my b

," said Br

ght with two men clinging to it; one of them, whose sallow cheeks were livid now, swaying in the saddle. Then Grant grasped the bridle that fell fro

ack! Pull him off! Give the Bri

eft hand on the bridle Grant had loosed again, while a wicked smile crept into his eyes, and the lad stood tense an

vering, I'll give you a minute to get your men away, and if

you, Larry," he said. "You have made a big blund

r moment he and his cow-boys were swinging at a gallop across the prairie. Then, as they dipped behind a rise, those who were

arsely. "It's first blood to them, but this will tak

at Muller, who stood very straight and squ

contract? There is the gi

OWN!"-P

as in der Vosges, and der g

u, and you'll probably have to use more than axes before you're through. Still, y

nfully, and there was a little sard

down here we're not going back again," he said. "That's about all there is to it. But

the Lord who made this country will know who's in the right

ng in the bluff, and the Fr?ulein