done. Hints or suggestions from Leigh or Bond or even Tempest only confirmed defiance in him, and then Dick took matters into his own hands on one burning day in late fall when the smoke from the forest fires came down and blanketed Grey Wolf with a thick pungency which brought an acrid smart to the eyes and a breathlessness to the throat.
Slicker was in the bar with a red-headed freighter who had just driven his team over Halliday's Hill, and who had asked Slicker to drink with him. Slicker did not like the freighter on further acquaintance, and he sat with him at a little table in the corner and tried to think of an excuse to go away from the flow of vulgar talk.
Suddenly the knot of breeds which Jimmy was serving by the door split to let Dick through, followed by a little alert florid man whom Slicker knew for the fire-ranger of Grey Wolf district. Many of the tables were full, for over a dozen teams had come in from the South. Dick gave one sharp glance from end to end; picked his man without hesitation, and walked over to Slicker's corner. He leaned his hands on the table, and stooped over, speaking suavely to the red-headed man.
"Mr. Pery," he said. "You camped at Halliday's Rift two nights ago, and, by some curious oversight, you forgot to put your fire out when you went on. As you have never done such a thing before, of course, it may interest you to know that it is burning yet. And so is Halliday's oat-crop, and all the south end of his section, and possibly his home-lot as well. Do you happen to smell wood-smoke?"
Pery sprang up. He had a virulent tongue; but under Dick's eyes the bluster fizzled out like fire beneath the hose. Slicker felt a pang of envy. He believed himself as much of a man as Dick—if not more. But he could not have silenced the freighter to listen to such words as Dick spoke now.
"You had better be careful, Mr. Pery. I imagine you know the fine for carelessness of this sort; but if you don't we shall be happy to enlighten you when Sergeant Tempest hears your case. Your kind offer to go out with Mr. Carruthers and the rest of us to help Halliday will be an
