e Mission struck a note of panic.
Father Jose saw grave danger for his small flock of Indian converts.
He remembered the white woman and her children, too. He was seriously
alarmed. Allan was away, so he sought the advice of those remaining.
Murray was untried in the conditions of the life of the country, but
Ailsa Mowbray possessed all the little man's confidence.

In the end, however, it was Murray who decided. He took upon himself
the position of leader in his partner's absence, and claimed the right
to probe the trouble to its depths. The priest and Ailsa yielded
reluctantly. They, at least, understood the risk of his inexperience.
But Murray forcefully rejected any denial, and, with characteristic
energy, and no little skill, he gathered an outfit together and
promptly set out for Bell River.

It was the one effort needed to assure him of his permanent place in
the life of the Fort on Snake River. It left him no longer an untried
recruit, but a soldier in the battle of the wilderness.

A month later he returned from his perilous enterprise with his work
well and truly done. The information he brought was comprehensive and
not without comfort. The Bell River Indians had certainly taken to the
war-path. But it was only in defence of their fishing on the river
which meant their whole existence. They were defending it
successfully, but, in their success, their savage instincts had run
amuck. Not content with slaying the invaders they had annexed their
enemy's property and squaws. Then, with characteristic ruthlessness,
they had set about carrying war far and near, but only amongst the
Indians. Their efforts undoubtedly had a dual purpose, The primary
object was the satisfying of a war lust suddenly stirred into being in
savage hearts by their first successes. The other was purely politic.
They meant to establish a terror, and so safeguard their food supplies
for all time.

Murray's story was complete. It was thorough. It had not been easy.
His capacity henceforth became beyond all question.

So the cloud passed for the moment. But it did not disappear. The
people at the Fort, even Allan Mowbray, himself, when he returned,
dismissed the matter without further consideration. He laughed at the
panic which had arisen in his absence, while yet he commended Murray's
initiative and courage.

After the first lull, however, fresh stories percolated through. They
reached the Fort again and again, at va