he had constituted himself her
protector, and he would hardly let her go without him. It did not
promise to be easy to hoodwink both Plaskett and Grampierre.

What she was going to do when she found Nesis, Colina did not stop to
consider. The thing to do was to find the girl, and trust to pluck and
mother wit for the rest.

Colina finally thought she saw her way clear. She asked Marya if she
would meet her in an hour on the Enterprise trail outside of camp. It
was now three o'clock.

Marya, with her eyes upon the opal, nodded. She gave Colina to
understand that she would be waiting at a place where the trail crossed
a stream, and climbed to a little prairie with thick bushes around it.

Leaving Marya, Colina returned to the police tents. Climbing the hill,
she had the satisfaction upon looking back to see that the Indian girl
had foresaken her moose-hide.

The edge of the bush was near her: it would not be hard for her to lose
herself. Simulating an air of discouragement, Colina told Sergeant
Plaskett she had learned nothing and signified her willingness to
return to Enterprise.

"I'd start at once," she said suggestively, "but my horses are tired."

Plaskett was greatly relieved. "I'll furnish you with fresh horses,"
he said instantly. "Let your horses stay here and rest up. I'll send
them in with the first patrol, and you can then return mine."

This was what Colina desired. She smiled on the policeman dazzlingly.

Plaskett sent a trooper for the horses, and himself escorted Colina
back to the spot at the foot of the hill where she had ordered the
Grampierres and Cora to wait for her.

She told Germain the same story. The half-breed who had been
interviewed by Plaskett in the meantime, was delighted by her resolve
to return. He instantly set to work to pack up.

In less than half an hour they started for home. As they mounted the
hill, Plaskett gallantly waved his cap from below. The bush swallowed
them. Colina was thinking: "What shall I do if she is afraid, and
doesn't come?"

However, less than a mile from the river, they forded a little brook,
climbed a shallow hill, and there, true to her agreement, waited Marya,
standing like a statue beside the trail.

Colina, making believe to be greatly astonished, dismounted, and drew
her apart. Marya, understanding from her glance of intelligence that
the others were not in the secret, gesticulated vividly for their
benefit.

"She tells m