o Pierre and his friends,
some of the characters, and many of the incidents, would have seemed
monstrosities--melodramatic episodes merely. The truth is, that while
the episode, which is the first essential of a short story, was always
in the very forefront of my imagination, the character or characters
in the episode meant infinitely more to me. To my mind the episode was
always the consequence of character. That almost seems a paradox; but
apart from the phenomena of nature, as possible incidents in a book,
the episodes which make what are called "human situations" are, in most
instances, the sequence of character and are incidental to the law of
the character set in motion. As I realise it now, subconsciously, my
mind and imagination were controlled by this point of view in the days
of the writing of Pierre and His People.

In the life and adventures of Pierre and his people I came, as I think,
to a certain command of my material, without losing real sympathy with
the simple nature of things. Dexterity has its dangers, and one of its
dangers is artificiality. It is very difficult to be skilful and to ring
true. If I have not wholly succeeded in A Romany of the Snows, I think I
have not wholly failed, as the continued appeal of a few of the stories
would seem to show.

ACROSS THE JUMPING SANDHILLS

"Here now, Trader; aisy, aisy! Quicksands I've seen along the sayshore,
and up to me half-ways I've been in wan, wid a double-and-twist in the
rope to pull me out; but a suckin' sand in the open plain--aw, Trader,
aw! the like o' that niver a bit saw I."

So said Macavoy the giant, when the thing was talked of in his presence.

"Well, I tell you it's true, and they're not three miles from Fort
O'Glory. The Company's--[Hudson's Bay Company]--men don't talk about
it--what's the use! Travellers are few that way, and you can't get the
Indians within miles of them. Pretty Pierre knows all about them--better
than anyone else almost. He'll stand by me in it--eh, Pierre?"

Pierre, the half-breed gambler and adventurer, took no notice, and was
silent for a time, intent on his cigarette; and in the pause Mowley the
trapper said: "Pierre's gone back on you, Trader. P'r'aps ye haven't
paid him for the last lie. I go one better, you stand by me--my
treat--that's the game!"

"Aw, the like o' that," added Macavoy reproachfully. "Aw, yer tongue
to the roof o' yer mouth, Mowley. Liars all men may be, but that's wid
wimmin or l