ree language, and immediately
after, delivering their horses to the care of one of the men of the
establishment, accompanied him to the store.

In less than half an hour they returned to the gate, when the Indians
remounted, and, starting away at their favourite pace--full gallop--were
soon out of sight.

"Them fellows seem to be in a hurry," remarked Bounce as they
disappeared.

"Ay, they're after mischief too," replied McLeod in a sad tone of voice.
"They are two Cree chiefs who have come here for a supply of ammunition
to hunt the buffalo, but I know they mean to hunt different game, for I
heard them talking to each other about a war-party of Blood Indians
being in this part of the country. Depend upon it scalps will be taken
ere long. 'Tis a sad, sad state of things. Blood, blood, blood seems
to be the universal cry here; and, now that we've had so many quarrels
with the redskins, I fear that the day is not far-distant when blood
will flow even in the Mountain Fort. I see no prospect of a better
state of things, for savage nature cannot be changed. It seems a
hopeless case."

There was a touch of pathos in the tone in which this was said that was
very different from McLeod's usual bold and reckless manner. It was
evident that his natural disposition was kind, hearty, and peaceable;
but that the constant feuds in which he was involved, both in the fort
and out of it, had soured his temper and rendered him wellnigh
desperate.

"You are wrong, sir, in saying that their case is hopeless," said
Bertram earnestly. "There is a remedy."

"I wish you could show it me," replied the trader.

"Here it is," returned the artist, taking his little Testament from the
inside pocket of his hunting-shirt. "The gospel is able to make all men
wise unto salvation."

McLeod shook his head, and said, "It won't do here. To be plain with
you, sir, I don't believe the gospel's of any use in these wild regions,
where murder seems to be as natural to man, woman, and child as food."

"But, sir," rejoined Bertram, "you forget that our Saviour Himself says
that He came not to call the righteous but _sinners_ to repentance. In
this volume we are told that the blood of Christ cleanseth us from _all_
sin; and, not only have we His assurance that none who come unto Him
shall be cast out, but we have examples in all parts of the known world
of men and women who were once steeped to the lips in every species of
gross iniquity havin