th due solemnity to the old man.

"Ow-ow!" grunted Man-of-the-Snow-Hill, as he waved the things away to
his squaw. He was not satisfied, and his eyes watered as though he were
weeping.

Then Ralph went on.

"We have come on the 'long trail' through the mountains. And we seek the
White Squaw of the Moosefoot Indians."

The chief remained quite calm, but his bleared old eyes shot a sidelong
gleam at the speaker in which there was little friendliness. No other
movement was allowed to give evidence of disquiet. It is part of the
upbringing of the neche to eschew all outward signs of emotion. The Sun
Dance, when the braves are made, is the necessary education in this
direction. Ralph saw the look but failed to take its meaning. The squaw
watched the white men with keen interest. Nick was groping about in the
depths of a gunny-sack.

Ralph plunged into the fantastic story which he and Nick had prepared.
The language of the Cree helped him, for the natural colouring of the
Indian tongues is as flowery as that of any Eastern race.

"We come from beyond the mountains, from the hunting-grounds of forest
and river where the great fathers of the Moosefoot Indians dwelt. We
come to tell the White Squaw that the land cries out for her, and the
return of the children of the Moose. We come to speak with her of these
things, for the time has come when she must leave her forest home and
return to her own land. Man-of-the-Snow-Hill must show us the way. We
have many presents which we will give him."

"It is well," said the great man, closing his eyes while the water oozed
from between the compressed lids. "The white men are the friends of the
Moosefoot people, and they have many presents. Have they fire-water?"

Nick produced some bottles and the great man reached for them greedily.
But the other withheld them.

"What will Man-of-the-Snow-Hill do for the fire-water?" Ralph asked.

The interpreter passed the word.

"He will send his favourite squaw to guide the white men," he answered
at once. "He can do no more."

A dozen bottles of vanilla essence passed over to the chief. A number of
other presents were handed to him. Then without a word the squaw arose
and accompanied the white men out.

And without further delay the brothers continued their journey. Fleet of
foot, untiring, silent as only an Indian woman can be, the squaw led the
way. North, north; always north they travelled, over hill, through
forest and deep white v