continued Lumley, merely answering the
interruption with a smile, "ought to be unusually particular about
keeping up all the politenesses of civilised life, instead of dropping
them, and ought to be inexpressibly thankful when a soft and civilising
influence, like Miss Macnab, condescends to visit them with a ray of
sunshine from the old country."

"Bravo, Lumley," cried Macnab, with a boisterous laugh, "that speech was
worthy of an Irishman! Call her what you like, my good fellow, so long
as you never call her too late for meals; but come along now and let's
have something to eat, for I'm famishing."

By this time the Indian with the sled had joined us, so we all went off
to the fort in a state of boisterous joy, of which those unfortunates
who have never been banished from their fellows for months--or for
years--can form no conception. As dinner was opportunely smoking on the
table when we entered the hall, our visitor's hilarity was, if possible,
increased. Moreover, we had company that New Year's Day, for a knife
and fork had been laid in the hall for every man at the fort. You see,
Lumley was a strict disciplinarian, and, therefore, could afford at
special times to relax without loss of dignity and with a great increase
of good-will on the part of all under him. At all other times we and
the men--excepting our guide--messed apart; but on Christmas and New
Year's Days all distinctions were laid aside, discipline was relaxed,
and we acted on the principle of that brotherhood which is based upon
the assumption that all men have the same objects in life and the same
hopes after death. That morning we had all played football on the ice
together, had slidden and tumbled down the snow-slope together, and now
we were about to mess together in the hall. Still further, our company
was to be increased, and our festive board to be graced, by the presence
of Waboose and her mother. Little had we imagined, when all this was
planned, that we were to have the addition of our old friend Macnab, and
that glorious beam from the sun of civilisation, his sister Jessie!

I will, however, make but brief reference to this festive occasion, and
proceed to tell of an event which created an unexpected sensation in our
little community, and might have closed our New Year's Day amusements
with a terrible tragedy.

After dinner we circled round the blazing fire and enjoyed ourselves
listening to Macnab, who had a happy facility in gi