y I'm not an essential witness at
the trials, and of course I'll be all right here with the Setons until
you get back.

Affectionately,

COLINA.

She left the letters with the cook, giving precise instructions for
their delivery. That to her father was not to be handed over until her
absence from the house should be discovered. Nothing was to be said
about the other letter.

The two girls saddled Ginger and the next best horse in the stable for
Cora to ride, and took a third horse with a pack-saddle for their
baggage.

They rowed across the river, making the horses swim in the wake of the
boat. On the other side they set off forthwith on the Kakisa trail.
Colina had decided that it would be a waste of precious time to turn
aside to the Grampierres.

Whether Germain started before or after her, she could find him on the
way. That he would start for the Kakisa River this morning she had no
doubt.

When they had ridden a couple of miles Cora pointed out to her where
the tracks of four horses struck into the trail. They were just ahead,
she said.

They came upon Germain Grampierre and his brother Georges making their
first spell by the trail. Great was their astonishment upon hearing
Colina announce her intentions.

Germain used all the obvious arguments to turn her back, and Colina
smilingly overruled them. He was openly in awe of her, and, of course,
in the end she had her way, and they rode together, Germain shaking his
head with secret misgivings.

They pushed their horses to the utmost, ever urged on by Colina, who
could not know what might be behind them. But she knew they rode the
best horses to be had at Enterprise.

They reached the Kakisa River on the third day without any surprise
from the rear.

They found that the main body of the Kakisas had been brought back to
their village here, where they were pursuing their usual avocations
under the eye of the police encamped on the terrace around the shack.

Colina immediately addressed herself to the police headquarters.

She had remarked Sergeant Plaskett on his arrival at Fort Enterprise, a
typical mounted policeman, and a fine figure of a man to boot--tall,
lean, deep-chested, deep-eyed--a dependable man.

She approached him with confidence. The sight of her astonished,
confused, and charmed him, as she meant it should. He was only a man.

But as she told her story he stiffened into the policeman. "Sorry," he
said uncomfortably.