and
hatred when one's own soul might soon be suing for forgiveness.

They topped another rise of ground beyond which there was a hollow, a
tiny valley nestled among great firs and poplars and birches. In the
middle of it Madge saw another and much larger shack. It might really
have been called a house, but for its being made of logs. A film of
smoke was rising straight up in the still air, from a chimney built of
rough stones, and some dogs began to bark loudly. A woman came out,
with a child hanging to her skirts, and shaded her eyes with her hand
while she scolded the animals, who slunk away slowly.

"_Bonjour_," she called out, cheerfully. "Ah! It is Monsieur Hugo! How
you do, sare? Glad for see you! Come along quick. It ees cole again,
terrible cole."

For a second she stared at the young woman on the toboggan, but her
civility came at once uppermost and she smiled pleasantly, and rushed
up to help Madge arise, brushing off some of the snow that had fallen
on her from the trees.

"Come inside quick. I have it good hot in de house. You all perished
wid dat cole, Mees. Now you get varm again and I make tea _tout de
suite_."

She had seized Madge's hands in her own big and capable ones, with the
never-failing hospitality and friendliness of the wilderness, and led
her indoors at once. Hugo let Maigan loose, with a word of warning,
for the other dogs had begun to circle about him jealously, and
growled a little, probably for the sake of form, for they took good
care to keep out of reach of his long fangs. They had tried him once
before and knew that he was their master. Hugo, thankful that the
journey was ended, took up the girl's bag and followed her into the
house, after he had taken off his snowshoes, a job he accomplished
with some difficulty.

"Mrs. Papineau," he began, "this young lady came over to my place, a
couple of hours ago, and--and there's been some--some mistake. She
thought there was a village here, I believe. She only expects to
remain with you till to-morrow, I think, and till then I will be ever
so grateful if you will make her as comfortable as possible. I'm
afraid she's dreadfully tired and cold. I expect to return in the
morning to take her back to Carcajou, unless--unless she would prefer
to rest a day or two here."

"Ver 'appy to see de lady," declared Mrs. Papineau, heartily. "Tak'
off you coat, Monsieur Hugo, an' sit here by de fire. Hey! Baptiste,
you bring more big piece of birch. C