was entered in a book and numbered, and his
number was marked on his property."

"And that book?"

"A new one was started a few years ago," replied Macdonald. "The first
one went to pieces with age, and had to be put aside."

"And what became of it?" the law clerk cried eagerly. "It was not lost?"

"Lost? Of course not, sir. I have it stored away in some place."

"Ah, that is fortunate! I beg you to produce it, Mr. Macdonald. It will
be very easy to ascertain if I am right or wrong. If Osmund Maiden
passed through Fort Garry, and left any luggage behind him, his name
will appear in the record."

"Quite true," assented the factor; "but I am sorry that I can't--"

He stopped suddenly, and put his head to one side.

"I fancy I heard a shout yonder--off by the gates," he added. "Did you
hear anything, Carew?"

"No." I replied; "it must have been the wind."

Macdonald turned to the law clerk.

"I was about to remark," he continued, "that I can't put my hands on the
record-book to-night. But I will search for it to-morrow morning, and
give you the satisfaction of examining the entries."

"You are very kind, sir," replied Christopher Burley. "And I trust I
shall find----"

He was interrupted by a quick, imperative rap on the door.

"Come in!" cried Macdonald.

At the summons a clerk entered, holding a sealed envelope in his hand.

"From the settlement," he said. "Very urgent, sir! It came by messenger
a moment ago."

The factor silently opened the envelope, drew out a letter and glanced
over it briefly. Then his deep-sunken eyes flashed with rage.

"The daring scoundrels!" he cried. "Listen! This is from Walker, my
right-hand man in the colony," and in a hoarse voice he read aloud as
follows:

"I have just learned, through a trusted Indian spy, that some
Northwest men captured a traveler twenty miles up the river this
morning. The prisoner is said to be a Hudson Bay Company
courier, bound for Fort Garry with important dispatches from the
north. He is held on a trumped-up charge of some sort, and
before daylight to-morrow he is to be hurried round the fort and
the settlement and conveyed down the river to the Northwest
Company's main post. His captors number seven, and to-night they
are putting up at Lagarde's store. This is reliable, and I have
kept it quiet so far. I wait your commands, and will execute
them promptly."

Having finished, the factor crumpled