while
exercising the previous afternoon, she did not know. But it was plain
that, as far as he went, the miles between quarter-section and
land-office were impossible. At once, Dallas suggested that Betty be
driven single to a small pung that had been built for water-hauling when
the well froze up. Accordingly, the mule was put before the sleigh.
Failure resulted. Though both Dallas and her father alternately coaxed
and scolded, Betty, with characteristic stubbornness, refused to budge a
rod from the lean-to without Ben.

Dallas was in despair. "She won't go, she won't go," she said. "We've
got to think of some other way."

"Yestiddy," observed the section-boss, as he unfastened the tugs, "y'
said it wouldn' matter ef Ah didn' go now." He was somewhat complacent
over the outcome of the hitch-up.

"I don't feel that way now," asserted Dallas.

"Thet ol' man up at th' leetle ben' has hosses," he volunteered when
they were again within the shack.

"He took 'em to Clark's two months ago, and walked back."

"Wal, how 'bout th' Norwegian over by th' Mountain?"

"He keeps oxen. If a blizzard came up, they'd never lead you out of it."
Then she was moved to make a suggestion which she felt certain, however,
would only be denounced. "There are hundreds of horses and mules at
Brannon. I could ask there for a team."

Instantly Lancaster's ire was roused. "Thet's all Ah want t' hear fr'm
you 'bout them damned Yankees," he said hotly. "An' Ah want y' t'
remember it."

"But you're wrong, dad."

"Eh?" He turned upon her in amazed disgust.

"You're wrong," she repeated gently. "We oughtn't to treat the soldiers
as if they was enemies. Some day we'll be in danger here----"

"Bosh!"

"And then we'll have to take their help."

He began to hobble up and down, working himself into a white heat. "'S
long as Ah live on this claim," he said, "Ah'll never go t' Brannon fer
anythin', an' they'll be no trottin' back an' forth. Thet ornery trash
over thar is th' same, most of it, thet fought th' South, jus' a few
years ago. Ah kain't forget thet. An' not _one_ of 'em'll ever set a
foot in this house."

After more hobbling, he burst forth again. "Ah tell y', Dallas, Ah won't
_hev_' you gals meetin' them no-'count soldiers----"

She smiled at him. "We don't want to meet any soldiers," she answered.
"But there are women at the Fort--women like mother. It seems a shame we
can't know them."

"Y' mother raised y' t' be's fine a lad