ned Ian, drawing his hand across
his brow. "Ah! Elsie, if--if--but what am I saying? Forgive me! I
think that grizzly must have touched my brain when he had me under his
paw. There can be no harm, however, in telling you that a wish, lightly
expressed by you long ago, has been the motive power which led to the
procuring of this collar. Will you accept it of me now? It is but a
trifle, yet, being a bad hunter, and more used to grammars than to guns,
it cost me no trifle of anxiety and trouble before I won it. I am
afraid that the hope of procuring it for you had almost as much to do
with cheering me on as the hope of finding Tony. Nay, don't refuse it,
Elsie, from one who has known you so long that he feels almost as if he
might regard you as a sister."

He took off the collar as he spoke, and, with a return of his wonted
heartiness, presented it to Elsie. There was something in his manner,
however, which induced her to blush and hesitate.

"Your kindness in searching for Tony we can never forget or repay," she
said quickly, "and--and--"

She paused.

"Well, well," continued Ian, a little impatiently; "I did not mean to
talk of Tony just now. Surely you won't refuse a gift from so old a
friend as I on the eve of my departure for Canada?"

"For Canada!" echoed Elsie, in surprise.

"Yes. I leave the instant I can get my affairs in Red River settled."

"And you return?"

"Never!"

Elsie looked at the youth in undisguised astonishment. She, too, began
to suspect that a claw of the collar must have touched his brain.

"But why hesitate?" continued Ian. "Surely you cannot refuse me so
simple a favour! Even Lambert himself would approve of it in the
circumstances."

"Lambert!" exclaimed Elsie, with increasing amazement; "what has Lambert
got to do with it?"

It was now Ian's turn to look surprised.

"Forgive me if I have touched on a forbidden subject; but as every one
in the settlement seems to know of your engagement to Lambert, I
thought--"

"_My_ engagement!" interrupted Elsie. "It is Cora who is engaged to
Lambert."

A sudden and mighty shock seemed to fall on Ian Macdonald. He slightly
staggered, paled a little, then became fiery red, leaped forward, and
caught the girl's hand.

"Elsie! Elsie!" he exclaimed, in tones of suppressed eagerness, "will--
will you accept the collar?"

He put it over her head as he spoke, and she blushed deeply, but did not
refuse it.

"And, Elsie," he