ered the
young man, again in English.

"The old-men," he resumed, in Cree, "have given me this robe. Because I
hold it very dear I wish to give it to that people whom I hold dearest.
That people is the Crees of Rupert's House. And because you are the
fairest, I give you this robe so that there may be peace between your
people and me."

Ill-expressed as this little speech was, from the flowery standpoint of
Indian etiquette, nevertheless its subtlety gained applause. The Indians
grunted deep ejaculations of pleasure. "Good boy!" muttered Sam Bolton,
pleased.

Dick lifted the robe and touched it to the girl's hand. She gasped in
surprise, then slowly raised her eyes to his.

"Damn if you ain't pretty enough to kiss!" cried Dick.

[Illustration: "Pretty enough to kiss!" cried Dick]

He stepped across the robe, which had fallen between them, circled the
girl's upturned face with the flat of his hands, and kissed her full on
the lips.

The kiss of ceremony is not unknown to the northern Indians, and even
the kiss of affection sometimes to be observed among the more
demonstrative, but such a caress as Dick bestowed on May-may-gwan filled
them with astonishment. The girl herself, though she cried out, and ran
to hide among those of her own sex, was not displeased; she rather liked
it, and could not mis-read the admiration that had prompted it. Nor did
the other Indians really object. It was a strange thing to do, but
perhaps it was a white man's custom. The affair might have blown away
like a puff of gunpowder.

But at the moment of Dick's salute, Sam Bolton cried out sharply behind
him. The young woodsman instantly whirled to confront the Chippewa.

"He reached for his knife," explained Sam.

The ejaculation had also called the attention of every member of the
band to the tableau. There could be absolutely no doubt as to its
meaning,--the evident anger of the red, his attitude, his hand on the
haft of his knife. The Chippewa was fairly caught.

He realised the fact, but his quick mind instantly turned the situation
to his profit. Without attempting to alter the malice of his expression,
he nevertheless dropped his hand from his knife-hilt, and straightened
his figure to the grandiose attitude of the Indian orator.

"This man speaks crooked words. I know the language of the saganash. He
tells my brothers that he gives this robe to May-may-gwan because he
holds it the dearest of his possessions, and because his h