far away. Halloo! There they're comin'; and thar's the doctor, trying to
keep them back!"

A crowd of angry, excited faces, filled the road suddenly; but before
them Dr. Duchesne, mounted, and with a pistol in his hand, opposed their
further progress.

"Back in the bush!" whispered the barkeeper. "Now's your time!"

But Ruth stirred not. "Go you back," he said in a low voice, "find Rand,
and take him away. I will fill his place here." He drew his revolver,
and stepped into the road.

A shout, a report, and the spatter of red dust from a bullet near his
feet, told him he was recognized. He stirred not; but another shout, and
a cry, "There they are--BOTH of 'em!" made him turn.

His brother Rand, with a smile on his lip and fire in his eye, stood by
his side. Neither spoke. Then Rand, quietly, as of old, slipped his hand
into his brother's strong palm. Two or three bullets sang by them;
a splinter flew from the blacksmith's shed: but the brothers, hard
gripping each other's hands, and looking into each other's faces with a
quiet joy, stood there calm and imperturbable.

There was a momentary pause. The voice of Dr. Duchesne rose above the
crowd.

"Keep back, I say! keep back! Or hear me!--for five years I've worked
among you, and mended and patched the holes you've drilled through
each other's carcasses--Keep back, I say!--or the next man that pulls