Front matter

BY

WILLIAM MACLEOD RAINE

AUTHOR OF “MAN-SIZE,” “GUNSIGHT PASS,” “TANGLED TRAILS,” ETC.

BOSTON AND NEW YORK

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY

The Riverside Press Cambridge

1922

COPYRIGHT, 1922, BY WILLIAM MACLEOD RAINE

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

The Riverside Press

CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS

PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

TO

MY MOTHER

Contents

CHAPTER PAGE

I. Pete’s Girl 1

II. “A Spunky Li’l’ Devil” 7

III. Pals 12

IV. Clipped Wings 17

V. June asks Questions 25

VI. “Don’t You Touch Him!” 33

VII. An Elopement 41

VIII. Blister Gives Advice 50

IX. The White Feather 58

X. In the Image of God 68

XI. June Prays 76

XII. Mollie Takes Charge 86

XIII. Bear Cat Asks Questions 93

XIV. Houck Takes a Ride 100

XV. A Scandal Scotched 106

XVI. Blister as Deus ex Machina 110

XVII. The Back of a Bronc 117

XVIII. The First Day 123

XIX. Dud Qualifies as Court Jester 127

XX. “The Bigger the Hat the Smaller the Herd” 135

XXI. June Discovers a New World 141

XXII. An Alternative Proposed and Declined 145

XXIII. Bob Crawls his Hump Sudden 150

XXIV. In the Saddle 158

XXV. The Rio Blanco puts in a Claim 162

XXVI. Cutting Sign 171

XXVII. Partners in Peril 179

XXVIII. June is Glad 189

XXIX. “Injuns” 194

XXX. A Recruit Joins the Rangers 200

XXXI. “Don’t you like me any more?” 207

XXXII. A Cup of Cold Water 214

XXXIII. “Keep A-Comin’, Red Haid” 222

XXXIV. An Obstinate Man stands Pat 230

XXXV. Three in a Pit 237

XXXVI. A Hero is Embarrassed 242

XXXVII. A Responsible Citizen 249

XXXVIII. Bear Cat Asleep 253

XXXIX. Bear Cat Awake 258

XL. Big-Game Hunters at Work 262

XLI. In a Lady’s Chamber 266

XLII. A Walk in the Park 270

XLIII. Not even Powder-burnt 278

XLIV. Bob holds his Red Haid high 284

XLV. The Outlaw gets a Bad Break 290

XLVI. The End of a Crooked Trail 297

XLVII. The Kingdom of Joy 301

THE FIGHTING EDGE

THE FIGHTING EDGE