t we bear
him no ill-will, and may have a good effect."

Having seen them off on the train, I turned homeward again, going
slowly, for the clouds were low and it was very dark. The consequence
was that it was nearly ten by the time I reached the ranch, and before I
did so the rain was coming down hard once more.

"Wet night, Joe," said I, as I pulled off my overcoat. "No plowing for a
week, I'm afraid."

"I expect not," replied my companion. "It isn't often we have to
complain of too much rain in Colorado, but we are certainly getting an
over supply just now. There's one man, though, who'll be glad of it."

"Who's that?"

"That ore-thief. It will wash out his tracks completely."

CHAPTER XIV

THE SNOW-SLIDE

The rain, which continued pretty steadily all day, Sunday, had ceased
before the following morning, when, looking through the rifts in the
clouds to the west we could see that a quantity of new snow had fallen
on the mountains.

"There'll be no trouble about water for irrigating this year, Joe," said
I, as I returned from the stable after feeding the horses. "There's more
snow up there, I believe, than I've ever seen before. It ought to last
well into the summer, especially as the winds have drifted the gulches
full and it has settled into solid masses."

"Yes, there ought to be a good supply," answered Joe, who was busy
cooking the breakfast. "Which of the ponies do you think I had better
take this morning, Phil? The pinto?"

"I thought so. I've given him a good feed of oats. He'll enjoy the
outing, I expect, for he's feeling pretty chipper this morning. He
tried to nip me in the ribs while I was rubbing him down. He needs a
little exercise."

We had arranged between us that Joe should ride to Sulphide that morning
to see Tom Connor and Yetmore, as my father had directed; and
accordingly, as soon as he could get off, away he went; the pinto pony,
very fresh and lively, going off as though he intended to gallop the
whole distance.

Left to myself, I first went up to measure the flow of the underground
stream, according to custom, and then, taking a shovel, I went to work
clearing the headgates of our ditches, which had become more or less
encumbered with refuse during the winter. There were two of them, set in
niches of the rock on either side of the pool; for, to irrigate the land
on both sides of the creek, we necessarily had to have two ditches. I
had been at it only a few minutes when I