pect, and without the remotest chance of succour from the
outside. Moreover, there hovered about them an implacable and half-insane
enemy, whose busy brain was bent on Garth's destruction. The outlook was
enough to unnerve the strongest; there were things in it that Garth in his
courage could only glance at, and hurriedly avert the eyes of his mind.

The night was so still he could hear the breathing of the horse at fifty
paces. He had let the fire die down, for fear its loud crackling would
awaken Natalie. Overhead the Northern lights flung their ragged pennons
across the zenith, with a ghostly echo of rustling. He suddenly became
conscious of distant human voices in the void of stillness; and presently
distinguished the voice of Mabyn. Rina's answers he could not hear,
though he sensed a second voice. The sound was from the neighbourhood
of the hut.

Garth was tempted by the opportunity to discover at the same time the
plans of his enemy, and Rina's true disposition toward himself. He glanced
at Natalie; she had but lately fallen asleep, and was sleeping soundly;
there were no animals abroad that could harm her; he need be gone but half
an hour. The role of eavesdropper was not at all attractive to him; but he
felt he had no right to refuse to use any weapon that offered. Finally he
fastened the flaps of Natalie's tent, replenished the fire, and stole away
through the trees.

He crossed the stony watercourse to the left of the usual place and
mounted the slope. Coming closer, he satisfied himself that the speakers
were sitting on the bench at the door of the shack. In the darkness he
almost fell across the figure of the little cayuse, prone in the grass.
The animal scrambled to its feet and trotted away. Garth paused,
listening, his heart in his throat--but Mabyn's voice presently went
on undisturbed.

He finally gained the top of the rise; and let himself down in the
grass, distant some thirty feet from them. A flash of lightning--or even
the lighting of a lantern would have revealed him clearly.

He instantly understood that he was the subject of their talk.

"It's his life or mine," in Mabyn's blustering whine were the first
words he distinctly heard.

"He could kill you to-day, and he let you go," Rina quietly returned.

"That's a lie!" blustered Mabyn. "How do you know?" he added
inconsequentially.

"He tak' your knife from you. I saw it in his belt," said Rina. "And he
let you go."

Mabyn made no rep