and gentle and generous.

"The first and last law of the trail is to 'hold fast,'" Jondo said, as
we broke up the circle about the camp-fire.

"If you can keep that law we will take you into full partnership
to-night," Esmond Clarenden added, and we knew that he meant what he
said.




IV

THE MAN IN THE DARK


A stone's throw from either hand,
From that well-ordered road we tread,
And all the world is wide and strange.
--KIPLING


"We shall come to the parting of the ways to night if we make good time,
Krane," Esmond Clarenden said to the young Bostonian, as we rested at
noon beside the trait. "To-night we camp at Council Grove and from there
on there is no turning back. I had hoped to find a big crowd waiting to
start off from that place. But everybody we have met coming in says that
there are no freighters going west now. Usually there is no risk in
coming alone from Council Grove to the Missouri River, and there is