s another. With Mr. Raven's compliments."

"By Jove, he's a trump!" said the Inspector. "I'd like to get him, but
all the same--"

And so they rode off to the Fort.

CHAPTER VIII

NURSE HALEY

The railway construction had reached the Beaver, and from Laggan
westward the construction gangs were strewn along the line in straggling
camps, straggling because, though the tents of the railway men were set
in orderly precision, the crowds of camp-followers spread themselves
hither and thither in disorderly confusion around the outskirts of the
camp.

To Cameron, who for a month had been attached to Superintendent Strong's
division, the life was full of movement and colour. The two constables
and Sergeant Ferry found the duty of keeping order among the navvies,
but more especially among the outlaw herd that lay in wait to fling
themselves upon their monthly pay like wolves upon a kill, sufficiently
arduous to fill to repletion the hours of the day and often of the
night.

The hospital tent where the little nurse reigned supreme became to
Cameron and to the Sergeant as well a place of refuge and relief. Nurse
Haley was in charge further down the line.

The post had just come in and with it a letter for Constable Cameron. It
was from Inspector Dickson.

"You will be interested to know," it ran, "that when I returned from
Stand Off two days ago I found that Little Thunder, who had been waiting
here for his hanging next month, had escaped. How, was a mystery to
everybody; but when I learned that a stranger had been at the Fort and
had called upon the Superintendent with a tale of horse-stealing, had
asked to see Little Thunder and identified him as undoubtedly the thief,
and had left that same day riding a particularly fine black broncho,
I made a guess that we had been honoured by a visit from your friend
Raven. That guess was confirmed as correct by a little note which I
found waiting me from this same gentleman explaining Little Thunder's
absence as being due to Raven's unwillingness to see a man go to the
gallows who had once saved his life, but conveying the assurance that
the Indian was leaving the country for good and would trouble us no
more. The Superintendent, who seems to have been captured by your
friend's charm of manner, does not appear to be unduly worried and holds
the opinion that we are well rid of Little Thunder. But I venture to
hold a different opinion, namely, that we shall yet hear from that