sheriff told the driver that he must not leave the station. The engineer
held his torch high above his head, looked the deputy over, and then
went on oiling his engine. In the meantime the Governor had stored his
friends away in the dark coach, including the secretary with the
company's great seal. Now the deputy became uneasy.

He dared not leave the train to send a wire to his chief at Hillier, for
the sheriff had said, "Keep your eye on the car."

The despatcher, whose only interest in the matter was to run the trains
and earn money for his employer, having given written and verbal orders
to the engineer, watched his chance and, when the sheriff was pounding
on the rear door, dodged in at the front, signalling with the bell-rope
to the driver to go. Frantically now the deputy beat upon the rear door
of the car, but the men within only laughed as the wheels rattled over
the last switch and left the lights of Spokane far behind.

Away they went over a new and crooked track, the sand and cinders
sucking in round the tail of the train to torment the luckless deputy.
Away over hills and rills, past Hillier, where the sheriff still stood
staring down the darkness after the vanishing engine; over switches and
through the Seven Devils, while the unhappy deputy hung to the rear
railing with one hand and crossed himself.

Each passing moment brought the racing train still nearer the
border,--to that invisible line that marks the end of Yankeeland and the
beginning of the British possessions. The sheriff knew this and beat
loudly upon the car door with an iron gun. The Governor let the sash
fall at the top of the door and spoke, or rather yelled, to the deputy.

To the Governor's amazement, the sheriff pushed the bottle aside. Dry
and dusty as he was, he would not drink. He was too mad to swallow. He
poked his head into the dark coach and ordered the whole party to
surrender.

"Just say what you want," said a voice in the gloom, "and we'll pass it
out to you."

The sheriff became busy with some curves and reverse curves now, and
made no reply.

Presently the Governor came to the window in the rear door again and
called up the sheriff.

"We are now nearing the border," he said to the man on the platform.
"They won't know you over there. Here you stand for law and order, and I
respect you, though I don't care to meet you personally; but over the
border you'll only stand for your sentence,--two years for carrying a
cann