Project Gutenberg's The Story of the Foss River Ranch, by Ridgwell Cullum

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Title: The Story of the Foss River Ranch

Author: Ridgwell Cullum

Release Date: December 27, 2004 [EBook #14482]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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The Story of the Foss River Ranch

A Tale of the Northwest

By RIDGWELL CULLUM

Author of

"The Law Breakers," "The Way of the Strong,"
"The Watchers of the Plains." Etc.

A.L. BURT COMPANY Publishers New York

Published by Arrangement with THE PAGE COMPANY

Published August, 1903

TO MY WIFE

CONTENTS

CHAP. PAGE

I THE POLO CLUB BALL 1

II THE BLIZZARD: ITS CONSEQUENCES 12

III A BIG GAME OF POKER 24

IV AT THE FOSS RIVER RANCH 32

V THE "STRAY" BEYOND THE MUSKEG 45

VI "WAYS THAT ARE DARK" 56

VII ACROSS THE GREAT MUSKEG 64

VIII TOLD IN BAD MAN'S HOLLOW 76

IX LABLACHE'S "COUP" 88

X "AUNT" MARGARET REFLECTS 96

XI THE CAMPAIGN OPENS 110

XII LABLACHE FORCES THE FIGHT 120

XIII THE FIRST CHECK 128

XIV THE HUE AND CRY 138

XV AMONG THE HALF-BREEDS 150

XVI GAUTIER CAUSES DISSENSION 163

XVII THE NIGHT OF THE PUSKY 176

XVIII THE PUSKY 188

XIX LABLACHE'S MIDNIGHT VISITOR 200

XX A NIGHT OF TERROR 210

XXI HORROCKS LEARNS THE SECRET OF THE MUSKEG 219

XXII THE DAY AFTER 230

XXIII THE PAW OF THE CAT 243

XXIV "POKER" JOHN ACCEPTS 253

XXV UNCLE AND NIECE 261

XXVI IN WHICH MATTERS REACH A CLIMAX 270

XXVII THE LAST GAMBLE 279

XXVIII SETTLING THE RECKONING 287

XXIX THE MAW OF THE MUSKEG 297

CHAPTER I

THE POLO CLUB BALL

It was a brilliant gathering--brilliant in every sense of the word. The
hall was a great effort of the decorator's art; the people were
faultlessly dressed; the faces were strong, handsome--fair or dark
complexioned as the case might be; those present repre