the Fort. So he went away again, and we came here, and here we have
lived."

"He has not come here?"

"No; once from the far north he sent me a letter by an Indian, saying
that he was going with a half-breed to search for a hunting party, an
English gentleman and two men who were lost. The name of one of the men
was Brickney."

Pierre stopped short in a long whiffing of smoke. "Holy!" he said, "that
thief Brickney again. He would steal the broad road to hell if he could
carry it. He once stole the quarters from a dead man's eyes. Mon Dieu!
to save Brickney's life, the courage to do that--like sticking your face
in the mire and eating!--But, pshaw!--go on, p'tite Lucille."

"There is no more. I never heard again."

"How long was that ago?"

"Nine months or more."

"Nothing has been heard of any of them?"

"Nothing at all. The Englishman belonged to the Hudson's Bay Company,
but they have heard nothing down here at Fort Ste. Anne."

"If he saves the Company's man, that will make up the man he lost for
them, eh--you think that, eh?" Pierre's eyes had a curious ironical
light.

"I do not care for the Company," she said. "John Marcey's life was his
own."

"Good!" he added quickly, and his eyes admired her. "That is the thing.
Then, do not forget that Marcey took his life in his hands himself, that
he would have killed Laforce if Laforce hadn't killed him."

"I know, I know," she said, "but I should have felt the same if John
Marcey had killed Stroke Laforce."

"It is a pity to throw your life away," he ventured. He said this for a
purpose. He did not think she was throwing it away.

She was watching a little knot of horsemen coming over a swell of the
prairie far off. She withdrew her eyes and fixed them on Pierre. "Do you
throw your life away if you do what is the only thing you are told to
do?"

She placed her hand on her heart--that had been her one guide.

Pierre got to his feet, came over, and touched her on the shoulder.

"You have the great secret," he said quietly. "The thing may be all
wrong to others, but if it's right to yourself--that's it--mais oui! If
he comes," he added "if he comes back, think of him as well as Marcey.
Marcey is sleeping--what does it matter? If he is awake, he has better
times, for he was a man to make another world sociable. Think of
Laforce, for he has his life to live, and he is a man to make this world
sociable.

'The Scarlet Hunter is sick for home--