[Gutenberg 41889] • Benton of the Royal Mounted: A Tale of the Royal Northwest Mounted Police

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1918. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER X Noun, gallant Saxon, hold thine tvmf Ne maiden's hand is round thee throvml That desperate grasp thy frame might feel, Through bars of brass and triple steel! -- They tug, they strain! down, down they go, The Gael above, Fitx-James below. EVEN o'clock came, and the Sergeant, with a few parting instructions to old Hiram Bryan, saddled up and departed for Gallagher's. v The latter who, pipe in mouth, was seated on the steps of his shack busily splicing a hondu in a rawhide lariat, or riata, looked up at the other's approach, and glanced curiously at the Sergeant's unfamiliar dress and mount. "Hello," he said waggishly. "Fancy-dress ball, eh? What's th'idea?" For Benton was riding the prisoner's white horse and also wearing that gentleman's chaps, coat, hat, and white handkerchief. Ellis grinned. "They're expaictin' Shorty," he said. "Mustn't disappoint 'em." Half an hour later the two men rode slowly along the trail leading to Fish Creek. The evening shadows began to close in, but they dawdled, keeping a wary look-out and talking in low, guarded tones, for yoices carry far over the range on still nights. "Sergeant," said Gallagher casually, during their progress. "'Member, it ain't that I'm grudgin' givin' yu' this bit o' help but, d'yu' know, I've often thort it kinder queer-like as yu' don't get 'em to give yu' another man to help yu' out here?" Ellis did not reply immediately. "I could," he said presently. "But what'd be th' use? They'd most likely send me along some gentlemanly young 'Percy, ' just fresh up from Regina, who didn't know his mouth from a hole in th' ground. It ain't no child's play -- handlin' th' crooked stock cases in a district like this. A man's got to be onto his job right from th' drop o' th' hat. Look how they put it ove...