Where the Trail Divides

s coarse blue flannel shirt, open at the throat, exposed a broad hairy chest that rose and fell mightily with the effort he was making. And therein lay the mystery. The sun

sh-green sun-dried prairie grass. The silence was complete. Not even a breath of wind rustled the grass; yet ever and anon the man paused glanced back the way he had come, listened, his throat throbbing with the effort of repressed breathing, in obv

look, every action. Somewhere back of that curved line where met the earth and sky, lurked death. Nothing else would have been adequate to arouse this phlegmatic human as he was now aroused. The sweat oozed from his thick neck in strea

halted, never seemed in doubt as to his destination. The country was growing more rolling now, almost hilly, and he approached each rise cautiously, vigilantly. Once, almost at his feet a covey of frightened pr

therefrom as drinks many another of the fauna of the prairie. Then, flat on his back, not sleeping, but very wide awake, very watchful, he lay awaiting the return of strength. Upon the fringe of hair beneath the brim of his hat the sweat slowly dried; then, as the de

s profanely-before he had not spoken a syllable-listened a moment almost involuntarily, sent a

settlement of Sioux Falls vacillat

we're going whether you do or n

distinctly florid, folded his arms ac

dows. I know as well as you do that there are Indians in this part of the world, some odd thousands of them between here and the Hills, but they

de a motion

ife. If you were alone, Rowland, I'd leave you here to take your medicine without another word; but I've a wife

your

iftly to leave, then a

ce this very day. It's Indian massacre, and at our own throats. The boys are down below the falls getting ready to go right now. By night there won't be another white man or woman within twenty-five miles of you. It's deliberate suicide to stand here arguing. If you will stay yourself, at least s

e off and the tone of vexation left his voice. An

he digressed. "Take my advice and come along. I

's danger, Mr. Brown?"

Danger, with Heaven knows how many hostile Sioux on the tra

ut actual danger-" The woman threw a comprehensive, almost amused glance at the big man, her husband. "We've been here almost two years now; long before you and the others came. Half the hunters who pass this way s

l you," exploded the other. "I don't mere

ike white people. They have their loves and hates the same as all the rest of us. Sam and I ran once before when everyone was going, and when we got back n

a sudden he came forward swiftly and extended

abeth, a big-eyed, solemn-faced mite of humanity, had come up now and stood staring the stranger silently from

nd easily; but the other made no reply, and without a backward glance star

the departing frontiersman steadily, the pouches

ock in the people down at the settlement leaving-they'd go if they heard a coyote whistle; but Brown tells me there've been three different trappers from Big Stone

ecessa

now it would be different. We'd be tortured day and night if we really feared-what happens now and then to some.

ill bla

es, we'll stay." She turned toward

it. Dinner's waiting

hesitated, then h

orget it," he

r-ready revolver at his hip, the dishes on the rough pine dining table clattering with

row doorway glanced about the interior

t open and his swollen t

rd was scarce a

ho are

iercely, i

elf in the corner, and without invitation, a

asure after measure, the overflow trickling down h

ood!" he voice

en, and behind her, peering around the fortress of her skirts as when before she had argued w

tranger, his great jowl

wland?" he enun

es

nt hasn't bro

do yo

rily he seized his host by the arm. "I've heard of you; you live two

The other smelled ev

way, and what's the matter?

are on the 'big trail'? of the ma

ng. Once more

ou mustn't be here an hour longer. I saw their signal smokes this very morning. They're murdering everyone-men, women, and children. It's Little Crow who started it, and God knows how many settlers they've kill

other. Neither spoke a word; but at

er shifted

ell you," h

tely, his heavy double chin fol

he temporised with almo

otruding eyes seemed almost to roll from

s no set

ha

ed his stateme

tongue had grown s

of pity had altered, b

alone out on the prairie returned, augmented. Heedless of appearances, all but unconscious of the presence of spectators, he glanced about the single room like a beaten rabbit with the hounds close on its trail. No avenu

eturned to her seat, indicated

t a bit," she invited. "You

ere longer." He started shuffling for the door. "Stay here and be scalped, if you think I lie. We're corpses,

k Rowland's great c

Involuntarily his lips pursed in the inevitable contempt of a strong man for one hopeles

nto a quaint Indian basket of coloured rushes went a roast grouse, barely touched, from the table. A loaf of

, accepted. A swift mo

anyway. I'm sorry-" He lifted his battered hat

Rowland returned to

es for cowards, and think we'll r

in the single exit through which

nish, Margaret," su

back his chair. Even then she did not speak, and, rising, the man made his wa

cared at last?"

st unbelievable after her former unemotional

wish we'd gone too; but now,"-her arms crept arou

ghtened until, had she wished, the woman could not have turned. He had been looking ab

of fear, but near akin, as to this lonely prairie wilderness, and the red man its child. In a hazy way came the question whether after all it were not foolhardy to remain here now, to dare that invisible, intangible something before which, almost in panic, the others had fled. To be sure, precedent was with him, logic; but-of a sudden-but a minute had passed-his arms tightened; involuntarily he held his breath. Hans Mueller had been moving on and on; another half minute and he would have been behind the base of the hill out of sight; when, as from the turf at one's feet there springs a-wing a covey of prairie grouse, from the tall grass about the retreating figure there leaped forth a swarm of other similar dark figures: a dozen, a score-in fro

wn face as pale as had been that of coward Hans M

late now, Marg