second time, preferring to suffer loss rather than
resort to violence. Nevertheless, we called in every available hand of
the Nor'-West staff to man Fort Douglas against attack. But summer
dragged into autumn and autumn into winter, and no Lord Selkirk. Then we
began to think ourselves secure; for the streams were frozen to a depth
of four feet like adamant, and unless Selkirk were a madman, he would
not attempt to bring his soldiers north by dog-train during the bitter
cold of mid-winter. But 'tis ever the policy of the astute madman to
discount the enemy's calculations; and Selkirk utterly discounted ours
by sending his hardy, dare-devil De Meurons across country under the
leadership of that prince of braggarts, Captain D'Orsonnens. Indeed, we
had only heard the rumor of their coming, when we awakened one morning
after an obscure, stormy night to find them encamped at St. James,
westward on the Assiniboine River. Day after day the menacing force
remained quiet and inoffensive, and we began to look upon these
notorious ruffians as harmless. For our part, vigilance was not lacking.
Sentinels were posted in the towers day and night. Nor'-West spies
shadowed every movement of the enemy; and it was seriously considered
whether we should not open communication with D'Orsonnens to ascertain
what he wanted; but, truth to say, we knew very well what he wanted, and
had had such a surfeit of blood, we were not anxious to re-open
hostilities.

As for Hamilton, I can hardly call his life at Fort Douglas anything
more than a mere existence. A blow stuns, but one may recover. Repeated
failure gradually benumbs hope and willpower and effort, like some
ghoulish vampire sucking away a man's life-blood till he faint and die
from very inanition. The blow, poor Eric had suffered, when he lost
Miriam; the repeated failure, when we could not restore her; and I saw
this strong, athletic man slowly succumb as to some insidious,
paralyzing disease. The thought of effort seemed to burden him. He
would silently mope by the hour in some dark corner of Fort Douglas, or
wander aimlessly about the courtyard, muttering and talking to himself.
He was weary and fatigued without a stroke of work; and what little
sleep he snatched from wakeful vigils seemed to give him no rest. His
food, he thrust from him with the petulance of a child; and at every
suggestion I could make, he sneered with a quiet, gentle insistence that
was utterly discomfiting. To be