enjoyed the joke. Soon the tramp of
hoofs struck upon her ear, and she turned with a smile of welcome to
meet her father.

"Well, girlie, and what have you been doing with yourself? Busy as
usual?" sung out the latter, as he swung himself from his horse and
shouted for the boy.

"Yes; bread-making. But it's no use calling Samhlu, dear. You won't
see him again to-day, because he's gone with Sapazani to carry five
strings of beads and a couple of dozen brass buttons, which that
debilitated weakling was too feeble to carry himself."

"Sapazani? Has he been here, then? Pity I missed him."

"Just gone." And then she told him about her little bit of innocent
mischief, at which the trader threw back his head and roared with
laughter.

"You mustn't play tricks on these big swells, darling," he said,
proceeding to do his own off-saddling. "But Sapazani's a real good 'un,
bang the opposite of his crusty, slippery old father."

Ben Halse was a tall, fine-looking man, with a large beard; just the
sort of man to command the respect of savages; in his dealings with whom
he was invariably straight and reliable. But as a setoff against this
there were stories about him--stories of shady transactions in the
gun-running and liquor-smuggling line, and those in charge of the
administration of the country held him in no very favourable regard.
Indeed, it was whispered that there was one even darker count against
him, which, though a thing of a tolerably remote past, the law might
take cognisance of even yet. But all these things, although known to
Verna, made no difference in the affection and confidence which existed
between the two. Of her--his only child--he was inordinately fond and
proud; and, so far as he was concerned, desired nothing more to complete
his happiness in life.

But she? In the full vitality of her splendid youth, was she not bound
to "pair"? This was a question he frequently asked himself, and--it
needed no answer.

CHAPTER FOUR.

THE TRADING STORE.

Ben Halse's store was full of native women, some with babies and some
without; and all were chattering. Two or three had come there to do a
deal, and the rest had come to see them do it.

"_Au_! but this is not the right kind," muttered one, with a
dissatisfied shake of the head, holding up a blue skirt; the others
joining critically in its examination. "I want one red and striped, not
spotted like this."

"Here it is, then," cheerfully