Front matter

Ben Blair

The Story of a Plainsman

by

Will Lillibridge

Author of "Where the Trail Divides," etc.

A. L. Burt Company, Publishers

New York

Copyright by A. C. McClurg & Co. a. d. 1905 Entered at Stationers' Hall, London All rights reserved

Published October 21, 1905

Second Edition October 28, 1905

Third Edition November 29, 1905

Fourth Edition December 9, 1905

Fifth Edition December 14, 1905

Sixth Edition February 28, 1907

To My Wife

Florence touched his arm. "Ben," she pleaded, "Ben, forgive me. I've hurt you. I can't say I love you." Page 114.

Contents

I. In Rude Border Land1

II. Desolation9

III. The Box R Ranch23

IV. Ben's New Home37

V. The Exotics44

VI. The Soil and the Seed53

VII. The Sanity of the Wild66

VIII. The Glitter of the Unknown74

IX. A Riffle of Prairie83

X. The Dominant Animal94

XI. Love's Avowal106

XII. A Deferred Reckoning117

XIII. A Shot in the Dark134

XIV. The Inexorable Trail148

XV. In the Grip of the Law164

XVI. The Quick and the Dead185

XVII. Glitter and Tinsel193

XVIII. Painter and Picture204

XIX. A Visitor from the Plains217

XX. Club Confidences230

XXI. Love in Conflict242

XXII. Two Friends Have It Out258

XXIII. The Back-Fire270

XIV. The Upper and the Nether Millstones287

XV. Of What Avail?304

XVI. Love's Surrender318