lover or prosecute him for his treachery.

Chloe knew that the girl had done no wrong, and in her heart she hoped
that she could be brought to a realization of the true character of the
man and repudiate him. If not--if she really loved him, and was
determined to remain his wife--Chloe made up her mind to insist upon a
ceremony which should meet the sanction of Church and State.

Christmas and New Year's passed, and Lapierre did not return to the
school. Chloe was not surprised at this, for he had told her that his
absence would be prolonged; and in her heart of hearts she was really
glad, for the veiled suspicion of the man's sincerity had grown into an
actual distrust of him--a distrust that would have been increased a
thousand-fold could she have known that the quarter-breed was even then
upon Snare Lake at the head of a gang of outlaws who were thawing out
MacNair's gravel and shovelling it into dumps for an early clean-up;
instead of looking after his "neglected interests" upon the rivers.

But she did not know that, nor did she know of his midnight visit to
Tostoff, nor of what happened at Brown's cabin, nor of the release of
MacNair.

CHAPTER XX

ON THE TRAIL OF PIERRE LAPIERRE

Bob MacNair drove a terrific trail. He was known throughout the
Northland as a hard man to follow at any time. His huge muscles were
tireless at the paddle, and upon the rackets his long swinging stride
ate up the miles of the snow-trails. And when Bob MacNair was an a
hurry the man who undertook to keep up with him had his work cut out.

When he headed northward after his release from the Fort Saskatchewan
Jail, MacNair was in very much of a hurry. From daylight until far
into the dark he urged his malamutes to their utmost. And Corporal
Ripley, who was by no means a _chechako_, found himself taxed to the
limit of his endurance, although never by word or sign did he indicate
that the pace was other than of his own choosing.

Fort McMurray, a ten- to fourteen-day trip under good conditions, was
reached in seven days. Fort Chippewayan in three days more, and Fort
Resolution a week later--seventeen days from Athabasca Landing to Fort
Resolution--a record trip for a dog-train!

MacNair was known as a man of few words, but Ripley wondered at the
ominous silence with which his every attempt at conversation was met.
During the whole seventeen days of the snow-trail, MacNair scarcely
addressed a word to him--seemed almost