ugard grinned uneasily, and tried to turn the thing off as a joke, and
Pierre, who laughed still a little more, said: "It would be amusing to
see old Magor and Dugard fight. It would be--so equal." There was a keen
edge to Pierre's tones, but Dugard dared not resent it.

One day Magor and Dugard must meet. The square-timber of the two
companies had got tangled at a certain point, and gangs from both must
set them loose. They were camped some distance from each other. There
was rivalry between them, and it was hinted that if any trouble came
from the meeting of Magor and Dugard the gangs would pay off old scores
with each other. Pierre wished to prevent this. It seemed to him that
the two men should stand alone in the affair. He said as much here and
there to members of both camps, for he was free of both: a tribute to
his genius at poker.

The girl, Nora, was apprehensive--for her father; she hated the other
man now. Pierre was courteous to her, scrupulous in word and look, and
fond of her child. He had always shown a gentleness to children, which
seemed little compatible with his character; but for this young outlaw
in the world he had something more. He even laboured carefully to turn
the girl's father in its favour; but as yet to little purpose. He was
thought ful of the girl too. He only went to the house when he knew
her father was present, or when she was away. Once while he was there,
Father Halen and his sister, Mrs. Lauder, came. They found Pierre with
the child, rocking the cradle, and humming as he did so an old song of
the coureurs de bois:

"Out of the hills comes a little white deer,
Poor little vaurien, o, ci, ci!
Come to my home, to my home down here,
Sister and brother and child o' me
Poor little, poor little vaurien!"

Pierre was alone, save for the old woman who had cared for the home
since Nora's trouble came. The priest was anxious lest any harm should
come from Dugard's presence at Bamber's Boom. He knew Pierre's doubtful
reputation, but still he knew he could speak freely and would be
answered honestly. "What will happen?" he abruptly asked.

"What neither you nor I should try to prevent, m'sieu'," was Pierre's
reply.

"Magor will do the man injury?"

"What would you have? Put the matter on your own hearthstone, eh?...
Pardon, if I say these things bluntly." Pierre still lightly rocked the
cradle with one foot.

"But vengeance is in God's hands."