Lapierre smiled; drew closer, and dropped his voice to a confidential
whisper. "I can put one hundred rifles and ten thousand cartridges in
the hands of your people in ten days' time."

"Thank you, Mr. Lapierre. I don't need your guns."

The man made a gesture of impatience. "If you choose to ignore MacNair,
you must, at least, be prepared to handle the Indians who will crowd your
counter like wolves when they hear you are underselling the H.B.C. When
you explain that only those who are members of your school may trade at
your post, you will be swamped with enrolments. You cannot teach the
whole North.

"Those that you will be forced to turn away--what will they do? They
will not understand. Instead of returning to their teepees, their nets,
and their traplines, they will hang about your post, growing gaunter and
hungrier with the passing of the days. And the hunger that gnaws at
their bellies will arouse the latent lawlessness of their hearts, and
then--if MacNair has not already struck, he will strike then. For
MacNair knows Indians and the workings of the Indian mind. He knows how
the sullen hatred of their souls may be fanned into a mighty flame. His
Indians will circulate among the hungry horde, and the banks of the
Yellow Knife will be swept bare. MacNair will have struck. And with
such consummate skill will his hand be disguised, that not the faintest
breath of suspicion will point toward himself."

"I shall sell to all alike, while my goods last, whether they are members
of my school or not----"

"That will be even worse than----"

"It seems you always think of the worst thing that could possibly
happen," smiled the girl.

"'To fear the worst, oft cures the worst,'" quoted Lapierre.

"'Don't cross a bridge 'til you get to it' is not so classic, perhaps,
but it saves a lot of needless worry."

"'Foresight is better than hindsight' is equally unclassic, and
infinitely better generalship. Bridges crossed at the last moment are
generally crossed from the wrong end, I have noticed." The man leaned
toward her and looked straight into her eyes. "Oh, Miss Elliston--can't
you see--I am thinking of your welfare--of your safety; I have known you
but a short time, as acquaintance is reckoned, but already you have
become more to me than----"

Chloe interrupted him with a gesture.

"Don't--please--I----"

Lapierre ignored the protest, and, seizing her hand in both his own,
spoke rapidly. "I w