At this critical juncture Waugh was ordered to proceed to Inspector
Jules. A few minutes after, he was riding away toward Soldier's Knee,
with the Inspector and another private, to capture Val Galbraith, the
slayer of Snow Devil, while four other troopers also started off in
different directions.




IV

It was six o'clock when Jen drew rein in the yard at Galbraith's Place.
Through the dank humours of the darkest time of the night she had watched
the first grey streaks of dawn appear. She had caught her breath with
fear at the thought that, by some accident, she might not get back before
seven o'clock, the hour when her father rose. She trembled also at the
supposition of Sergeant Tom awaking and finding his papers gone. But her
fearfulness and excitement was not that of weakness, rather that of a
finely nervous nature, having strong elements of imagination, and,
therefore, great capacities for suffering as for joy; but yet elastic,
vigorous, and possessing unusual powers of endurance. Such natures
rebuild as fast as they are exhausted. In the devitalising time
preceding the dawn she had felt a sudden faintness come over her for a
moment; but her will surmounted it, and, when she saw the ruddy streaks
of pink and red glorify the horizon, she felt a sudden exaltation of
physical strength. She was a child of the light, she loved the warm
flame of the sun, the white gleam of the moon. Holding in her horse to
give him a five minutes' rest, she rose in her saddle and looked round.
She was alone in her circle of vision, she and her horse. The long
hillocks of prairie rolled away like the sea to the flushed morning, and