Produced by Suzanne Shell, Beginners Projects, Sankar Viswanathan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. ~By B. M. Bower~ * * * * * GOOD INDIAN THE UPHILL CLIMB THE GRINGOS THE RANCH AT THE WOLVERINE THE FLYING U'S LAST STAND JEAN OF THE LAZY A THE PHANTOM HERD THE HERITAGE OF THE SIOUX STARR, OF THE DESERT THE LOOKOUT MAN [Illustration: She was, after all, the goddess she looked, he thought whimsically. Frontispiece. _See page_ 122.] THE LOOKOUT MAN By B. M. Bower WITH FRONTISPIECE BY H. WESTON TAYLOR BOSTON LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY 1917 Published, August, 1917 VAIL-BALLOU COMPANY BINGHAMTON AND NEW YORK U. S. A. CONTENTS CHAPTER I SOME TIME! II "THANKS FOR THE CAR" III TO THE FEATHER RIVER COUNTRY AND FREEDOM IV JACK FINDS HIMSELF IN POSSESSION OF A JOB V "IT'S A LONG WAY TO TIPPERARY," SANG JACK VI MISS ROSE FORWARD VII GUARDIAN OF THE FORESTS VIII IN WHICH A GIRL PLAYS BILLIARDS ON THE MOUNTAIN TOP IX LIKE THE BOY HE WAS X WHEN FORESTS ARE ABLAZE XI SYMPATHY AND ADVICE XII KATE FINDS SOMETHING TO WORRY OVER XIII JACK SHOULD HAVE A HIDE-OUT XIV MURPHY HAS A HUMOROUS MOOD XV A CAVE DWELLER JACK WOULD BE XVI MIKE GOES SPYING ON THE SPIES XVII PENITENCE, REAL AND UNREAL XVIII HANK BROWN PROVES THAT HE CAN READ TRACKS XIX TROUBLE ROCKS THE PAN, LOOKING FOR GRAINS OF GOLD XX IGNORANCE TAKES THE TRAIL OF DANGER XXI GOLD OF REPENTANCE, SUNLIGHT OF LOVE AND A MAN GONE MAD XXII THE MISERERE OF MOTHERHOOD XXIII GRIEF, AND HOPE THAT DIED HARD XXIV TROUBLE FINDS THE GOLD THAT WAS IN THEM CHAPTER ONE SOME TIME! From the obscurity of vast, unquiet distance the surf came booming in with the heavy impetus of high tide, flinging long streamers of kelp and bits of driftwood over the narrowing stretch of sand where garishly costumed bathers had lately shrieked hilariously at their gambols. Before the chill wind that had risen with the turn of the tide the bathers retreated in dripping, shivering groups, to appear later in fluffs and furs and woollen sweaters; still inclined to hilarity, still undeniably both to leave off their pleasuring at Venice, dedicated to cheap pleasures. But when the wind blew stronger and the surf boomed louder and nearer, and the faint moon-path stretched farther and farther toward the smudgy sky-line, city-going street-cars began to fill with sunburned passengers, and motors began to purr out of the narrow side streets lined with shoddy buildings which housed the summer sojourners. One more Sunday night's revelry was tapering off into shouted farewells, clanging gongs, honking horns and the shuffling of tired feet hurrying homeward.