bit of looking-glass he
used to shave by, and stood before it, never noticing that he made a
rather long job of drawing on his heavy fur coat. He went out with his
dog and got the sled ready, with a wry look upon his face. Then, as
there was nothing more to do, he sat down upon the rough bench that
stood near the door. He winced and made a grimace as his hand went up
to his shoulder.

"The little fool," he told himself. "She seems to have been loaded for
bear. Glad it was a thirty-two instead of a forty-five Colt. I didn't
think it was anything, just a bad scratch, after the first sting of
it, but it feels like fire and brimstone now. It's an infernal
nuisance. Good Lord! Suppose she'd plugged herself instead of me. That
would have been a fix for fair!"

This idea evidently horrified him. He had a vision of blood and tears
and screams, of having to rush off to Carcajou to telegraph for the
nearest doctor. Perhaps people would even have suspected him. He saw
Madge with her big dark-rimmed eyes and that perfectly wonderful hair,
lying dead or dying on the floor of his shack. It was utterly
gruesome, unspeakable, and a strong shiver passed over him.

"But I wonder who the deuce she was going to shoot with that thing?"
he finally asked himself. "Oh, she must be crazy, the poor little
thing! It's really too bad!"

[Illustration: "I'm glad you were not hurt. Rather unexpected, wasn't it"]

He then thought of what a fool he had been to give her back that
gimcrack pistol. She probably had more shells. He must contrive to get
them away from her. There was no saying what an insane person might
do.

"I wish Stefan would turn up soon," he cogitated. "I'd give a lot to
find out what he knows about her. It was mighty funny his never
stopping here for a minute."

CHAPTER VI

Deeper in the Wilderness

Within the shack Madge was now ready to start. Hugo's big woolen cap
was pulled down well over her ears and she again wore a coat much too
large for her, a thing which, in other days long gone, might have made
her laugh.

As she moved to the door she hesitated. Where was she going to? What
object was there in moving there or anywhere else? The wild dream that
had come upon her in the big city was dispelled and nothing on earth
remained but the end that must come in some way or other. Of course
she had no desire to remain in this shack, but neither had she any
desire for anything else. What was the use of anything she