he
declined, saying to the amazement of these inveterate smokers that he
had never learned the art of indulging in the weed.

He understood enough of the French _patois_ to follow what was said, and
felt more or less interest in the weird tales they spun concerning the
astonishing wonders of the Great Lone Land, which he, in his audacity,
had been tempted to venture into alone, bent on exploration--he realized
now that it would surely have proven his tomb had he been allowed to
proceed thither, convoyed only by the faithful Eli, who was ready to
follow him to the uttermost parts of the earth without question.

Presently, when he had broken the ice by becoming a little familiar with
his neighbor on the right, a rather pleasant-faced fellow in the
picturesque uniform of the Hudson Bay Company, he ventured to ask about
the sweet little singer, whose voice had charmed his ear; and, as he
suspected, it turned out that she was a child of the factor's younger
daughter, her name, Jessie (which was Scotch enough to please Cuthbert's
romantic fancy) and that she had always been at the post, a gleam of
sunshine, for whom any of them would willingly have died.

Cuthbert was more than pleased with his discoveries, for he believed
that it would, after all, not be so very difficult to bring about some
sort of a reconciliation between the young Canadian and his ancestor,
the old factor, whose heart had lost much of its flinty nature long
since under the ministrations of this little golden-haired witch, and
was really hungering to remedy his conduct of the past as far as
possible.

If he did nothing more than joining these two, Cuthbert could
congratulate himself that his mission to the great Saskatchewan region
had not been in vain.

He hunted Eli up at once, determined to form some sort of plan whereby
such a desirable end might be attained.

Fortunately, Eli was alone in their tent, and when the other questioned
him before speaking, not wishing Owen to hear them discussing his
affairs, Cuthbert learned that the third member of the party had gone
out quite a while before, saying that he would return by the time they
were thinking of retiring.

Cuthbert fancied that it was the mention of the little cousin that had
affected him so; perhaps even at that moment Owen was hovering about the
headquarters of the factor, in the hope of getting a glimpse of the
owner of the sweet voice.

So Eli was placed in possession of all the fac