CHAPTER ILOST CHIEF SCHOOLHOUSE"To believe in a living God; to preach His Holy Writ without fear orfavor; to sacrifice self that others may find eternal life; this is truehappiness."--_The Rev. James Fowler_.It was Sunday in Lost Chief; Sunday and mid-winter. For the first timein nearly ten years there was to be a sermon preached in the valley andevery one who could move was making his way to the schoolhouse.Douglas Spencer drove his spurs into Buster and finished the last hundredyards at a gallop. Judith, his foster sister, stood up in her stirrups,lashed Swift vigorously over the flanks with the knotted reins and whenBuster slid on his haunches to the very doorstep, Swift brought hergnarled fore legs down on his sweeping tail and slid with him. Shebrought up when he did with her nose under his saddle blanket. The boyand girl avoided a mix-up by leaping from their saddles and jerking theirmounts apart."Now look at here, Jude!" shouted Douglas, "you keep that ornery cow-ponyof yours off of me or I'll make you sorry for it!"Judith put her thumb to her small red nose, and without touching thestirrups leaped back into the saddle. Then she looked calmly about her."First ones here!" she said complacently. "Even the preacher hasn'tcome.""I suppose,"--Doug's voice was bitter--"that if I rode over toward Day'sto meet Jimmy you'd have to tag!""I sure-gawd would. Swift would like the extra exercise."Douglas swept Judith's thin bay mare with a withering glance. "Thatthing! Looks like the coyotes had been at it!"Judith wore but one spur and this had a broken rowell, but she kickedSwift with it and Swift whirled against the nervous Buster and bit him onthe cheek. Buster reared. "Take that back, you dogy cowboy you!" shriekedJudith.Douglas brought Buster round and raised his hand to strike the girl. Sheeyed him fearlessly. The boy slowly lowered the threatening hand andreturned her gaze, belligerently.Prince, a gray, short-haired dog, of intricate ancestry, squatted on hishaunches in the snow with his tongue between his teeth and his eyes on