hurriedly left the room;
and Flora came with him, fully dressed, when he reappeared. Edgar
supposed she had heard his sharp inquiry at the door, and he noticed
that her expression was strained. He threw the note on the table.

"After what you said, I needn't ask if you wrote that."

"I didn't," Grant told him. "It's not like my hand. I suppose Lansing
started when he got it and has not come back?"

"You have guessed right. Where are they likely to have waylaid him,
and where will they probably take him?"

"The bluff, sure. They might head north for empty country, or south
for the frontier."

"The frontier," Flora broke in.

"It's what I think," said Edgar. "Shall I send a man for Flett, or
will you?"

"That's fixed, anyway," said a voice outside the open door. "We're not
going."

It was obvious that the hired men had followed them as far as the
passage, for Grierson, entering the room, explained:

"He means we've made up our minds to look for Mr. Lansing."

Grant nodded in assent.

"Then my man goes. Turn out the boys, Jake; you know the place. I
want three horses saddled, quick."

"Four," said Flora, firmly. "I'm coming."

Grant did not try to dissuade her.

"Write to Flett," he said.

He went out hastily in search of blankets and provisions, and when he
returned, his hired men had gathered about the door and the note was
finished. He threw it to one of them.

"Ride with that as hard as you can," he said, and called another,
"You'll come with us."

"We're a strong party already," Edgar broke in. "You're leaving the
place poorly guarded, and the rustlers may have counted on something of
the kind. Suppose they finish their work by driving off every beast
that's left as soon as we have gone."

"I've got to take my chances; we'll want the boys to make a thorough
search."

Grant swung round toward the remaining men.

"You two will watch out behind the woodstack or in the granary. No
stranger's to come near house or stable."

"The woodpile," said Flora, with a hard white face and an ominous
sparkle in her eyes. "You would command the outbuildings there. If
anybody tries to creep up at night, call once, and then shoot to kill."

Edgar saw that she meant her instructions to be carried out; but he
forced a smile.

"And this is the Canadian wheat-belt, which I was told was so peaceful
and orderly!"

"It looks as if you had been misinformed," Flora rejoined with a cold
collected