r the circumstances, the wisest thing he could do.
Then, Grant stretched his arms wearily above his head, and a faint groan
escaped him.

"It had to come--but it hurts," he said.

XXVI

LARRY'S REWARD

Late one night Larry came home to Fremont, wet with rain and splashed with
mire, for it was thawing fast and he had ridden far. He sloughed off his
outer garments, and turned to Breckenridge, who had been waiting him, with
a little, weary smile.

"The dollars are safe, any way, and that is a big load off my mind," he
said. "Gillot has them in his safe, and nobody can touch them without a
countersigned order from the executive."

Breckenridge heaved a sigh of relief, for he knew that Gillot, who had a
store in the railroad town, was a determined man, and quite capable of
taking care of what had been entrusted him. The dollars in question, which
had been raised by levy and sent by sympathizers, had been placed in
Larry's hands to further the homesteaders' objects in that district as he
deemed advisable. He had, however, for reasons Breckenridge was acquainted
with, just relinquished the responsibility.

"I think you were wise," said the lad. "It roused a good deal of feeling
when you wouldn't let Harper and his friends have what they asked for, and
the boys were very bitter at the meeting while you were away!"

"Well," said Grant drily, "I knew what they wanted those dollars for, and
if I'd had twice as many I would not have given them one."

"They could not have done much harm with the few they wanted, and it would
have saved you a good deal of unpleasantness. I didn't like the way the
boys were talking, and it was quite plain the men who kept their heads
were anxious. In fact, two or three of them offered to come over and sleep
here until the dissatisfaction had simmered down."

"You did not accept their offer?"

"No, but I wish you would."

Grant shook his head. "It wouldn't suit me to own up that I was afraid of
my friends--and I don't want to believe there are any of them who would
injure me. If there were, I could not draw trigger on them in defence of
my own property."

"Then we will hope for the best," said Breckenridge, somewhat doubtfully.

Grant, who had had supper somewhere else, presently retired, and
Breckenridge, who found the big room dreary without him, followed a little
later. It was long before he slept, for he had seen the temper of the more
reckless spirits at the meeting he had