range."

The morning was gray, the peaks hidden in clouds, and the wind chill as
the women came from their beds. Two Horns had stretched some blankets to
keep off the blast, but still Elsie shivered, and Curtis roundly
apologized. "I'm sorry to get you up so early. It spoils all the fun of
camping if you're obliged to rise before the sun. An hour from now and
all will be genial. Please wait for my explanation."

Breakfast was eaten in discomfort and comparative silence, though
Parker, with intent to enliven the scene, cut a few capers as awkward as
the antics of a sand-hill crane. Almost before the smoke of the tepee
fires began to climb the trees the agent and his party started back over
the divide towards the mill, no one in holiday mood. There was a certain
pathos in this loss of good cheer.

Once out of sight of the camp, Curtis turned and said: "Friends, I'm
sorry to announce it, but I must return to the agency to-night and I
must take you all with me. Wilson has asked me to hasten home, and of
course he would not do so without good reason."

"What is the matter?" asked Elsie.

"The same old trouble. The cattlemen are throwing their stock on the
reservation and the Tetongs are resenting it."

"No danger, I hope," said Parker, pop-eyed this time with genuine
apprehension.

"Oh no--not if I am on hand to keep the races apart. Now I'm going to
drive hard, and you must all hang on. I want to pull into the agency
before dark."

The wagon lurched and rattled down the divide as Curtis urged the horses
steadily forward. With his foot in the brake, he descended in a single
hour the road which had consumed three long hours to climb. Conversation
under these conditions was difficult and at times impossible.

Jennie, intrepid driver herself, clutched her brother's arm at times, as
the vehicle lurched, but Curtis made it all a joke by shouting, "It is
always easy to slide into Hades--the worst is soon over."

Once in the valley of the Elk the road grew better, and Curtis asked
Elsie if she wished to drive. She, being very self-conscious for some
reason, shook her head, "No, thank you," and rode for the most part in
silence, though Lawson made a brave effort to keep up a conversation.

By eleven o'clock not even Curtis and Lawson together could make the
ride a joke. The women were hungry and tired, and distinctly saddened by
this sudden ending of their joyous outing.

"I wish these rampant cowboys could have waite