The Trail to Yesterday

began at the edge of town, there was no movement, no life except when a lizard, seeking a retreat from the blistering sun, removed itself to a deeper shade under the leaves of the sage-brush, or

In the blighting heat the country lay, dead, spreading to the infinite horizons; in the sky no speck floated against the dome of blue. More desolate than a derelict on the calm surf

listening lines of steel that stretched into the interminable distance. Some cowponies, hitched to rails in front of the saloons and the s

at various tables, quietly drinking. Behind the rough bar Pete

back again," comme

n a man seated at a card table, his profile toward them, playing c

t long," he said. "That was before your time. Tha

as' for?" queried the bartender

prietor. "Claims to have punched c

allowin'

d. Sold out to Dakota five years ago. Country got

stl

een suspected of it. But nobod

t s

with a six. Got his nerve

's t

Double R boys an' accuses Dakota of rustlin' Double R cattle. Duncan had found twenty Double R calves runnin' with the Star cattle which had been marked secret. Blanca had run his iron on them an' sold them to Dakota for Sta

ack: 'I've been stung, Pete,' he says, soft an' even like; 'I've been stung proper, by that damned oiler. Not that I'm carin' for the money end of it; Duncan findin' them calves with my stock has damaged my reputation.' Then he laffed-o

that's all he ever says about it. Likely he expected Blanca to come back. An' sure

ca furtively, "I'd be makin' some inquir

on there ain't no one who knows Dakota's goin' to trifle with him-h

ountry needs square m

over to him with a bottle and a glass. While Blacky was

akota of the presence of Blanca, and he did hold up a covert finger, but Dakota

ady to serve him. A short nod of greeting passed between the three, and Blacky placed a bottle

lies," he laughe

in'?" quer

e driven snow,"

en goin' on?" Moulin'

mon

, saw that he was in earnest, and s

u ever done. Of course you didn't hit it regular, but there's been times when I've thought that if I could have three or four customers like yo

yourn her

es and Moulin saw his lips straighten and harden. But in

h the English language when you're calling him my friend. Mayb

his card playing, apparently unaware of Dakota's approach, but at the sound of his

enter. The other card players ceased playing and leaned back in their chairs, watching, for some of them knew so

quietly, "you can pay

ain to everybody who watched Blanca-that a shadow crossed his face at Dakota's wor

turned his chair around, leaning far back in it and hooking his right thumb in his

ce, "it was a mistake. You made it, Blanca. Duncan found it out. Dunc

as not to be further misled by him. In place of the smile his face now wore an expression of sneering cont

a, an ominously quiet dr

owed his white teeth

es cold and alert as they watched Blanca's hand at his cartridge

epping down into the street. Blanca looked after him, sneering. An i

t if I was in your place I'd begin to think that me stay

stay. Dakota-hees got the Star too cheap." He tapped his gun holster significantly. "To-night Dakota hees go somewhere else. To-morrow who takes the Star? You?" He pointed to

straining her eyes to watch a thin skein of smoke that trailed off down the horizon, but which told her that the train was coming. It crawled slowly-like a huge serpent-over the wilderness of space, gro

r, and a tall man of fifty alighted and was folded into Sheila's welcoming arms. For a moment the two stood thus, whi

said. "What

him looking at her; she could not at a blow cast a shadow over the joy of his first day in the country where, henceforth, he was to make his home. And so she stood sobbing softly

all," he laughed, patting her cheeks

rtunity was gone now; she was com

Duncan has made h

after Albany. I miss my friends, of course. But Duncan's si

ide as the train pulled slowly away from the pla

most a sigh of relief. He turned to her with a smile. "I will look after the baggage," he said, and leaving he

e lines of his face had grown deeper; he seemed, now that she saw him at a distance, to be care-worn-tired. She had heard people call him a hard man; she kn

erybody's business to look sharply after their own interests. For there were jealous people everywhere; envy stalks rampant through the world; failure cavils at mediocrity, mediocrity

gh the medium of his treatment of her. Her own father-who had died during her infancy-could not have treated her better than had Langford. Since her mother's death some years befor

aying his emotions and now, at the age of fifty, there was nothing of his character revealed in his face except sternness. If addicted to sharp practice in business no one would be likely to suspect it, not even his victim. Could one have looked steadily into hi

uble R ranch and announced his intention to spend the remainder of his days on it. She supposed that he had grown tired of the unceasing bustle and activity of city l

efore, in a month to the day, knowing his habit of punctuality, Sheila had come to

e wagon, and she went over to the edge of the station platfo

umbling good natu

s a quarter to eight now an' the sun is goin' down. If that train h

ws were lengthening from their bases; the lower half of the sun had sunk behind a distant

the reins; Sheila was helped to the seat by her father, he jumped in himself, and they were off down t

the wagon or its occupants; his gaze roved up and down the street and he nervously fingered his cartridge belt. He was a brown-skinned man, almost

ard her father say. "What a sudden chan

nd eyes were just then riveted on another man who had come out of the door of another sal

t the slightest idea of his meaning. Then she realized that he had halted the horses; sa

she heard him say, s

" This was her

e Blanca till sundown to get out of town. It's sundown now an' Blanca ain't

ward the man who still stood in front of the saloon-though in spite of her fears an

Dakota and the other man. In the sepulchral calm which had fallen there came to Sheila's ears sounds that in another time she would not have noticed. Somewhere a do

front of the saloon-Blanca. As Dakota continued to approach, Sheila observed an evil smile flash suddenly to Blanca's face; saw a glint of metal in the faint light; heard the crash of his revolver; shuddered at the flame spurt. She expected to see Dakota fall-hoped

s not going to fall; she had merely closed her eyes to blot out the scene which she could not turn from. She held her

nd as Dakota stood over him Sheila saw the half-breed's body move convulsively and then become still. Dakota sheathed his weapon and, without looking toward the wagon in which Sheila sat, turned and strod

he cabin: "Have you ever seen a man die?" She had surmised from his manner that night that he would not hesitate to kill the parson, and no

strained, hoarse voi

! What's that? Well, mebbe. But I reckon Blanca won't rustle any mor

ied to grasp the end of the seat to steady herself. She heard her father's voice raised i

around her and the buckboard was in motion. Dusk had come; a

um shocked," she h

over him. "Great guns!" Sheila wondered at the tone he used. "That

uainted with Dakota you'll find out that he

him, I suppose?"

e give Blanca his chance? That'

o witness her father's introduction to Duncan's sister, but went immediately to her room. Sleep was far from her, however, for she kept dwelling over and over on the odd fortune w

e cabin. Was Fate indeed running th