y bade fair to be comfortable all winter.

Before the fire one night, when there was no work to do, Donald
pulled comfortably at his pipe, and observed the girl on the opposite
side of the rude fireplace, busy with her rabbit-bone needle. Where
she had seemed sweet, gracious, and gentle before, now, after their
enforced intimate comradeship, his love for her was something the
wonder of which he had never dreamed possible. If only a priest
might come by on some evangelizing journey to the Eskimo! He would
marry her then and there, and live thus until spring, or her father,
came. Since their perfect relationship it seemed utterly impossible
for him to exist without her.

Suddenly, with a shake, Donald jerked himself back from these
dreams, and looked at her again, very sadly. The announcement he
was about to make appeared all the harder.

"Jean," he said at last, "in about two days, we start back for Fort
Severn."

The girl raised her head, and showed a face of pouting disappointment.

"Why?" she queried. "Here, we are comfortable and safe; we are in
bad shape to travel without a sledge, and the dangers are many,
especially since you have no gun. Let's stay here until somebody
finds us. It's been a wonderfully happy time for me. You're the
dearest, bravest, most chivalrous man alive, Donald."

The lover flushed with pleasure, but his brows drew down nevertheless,
and his jaw set, for the temptation was strong upon him.

"I've been very happy, too, princess," he rejoined; "but we mustn't
stay any longer. Before the world, neither of us would have a valid
excuse. We have provisions enough now for a week in the woods,
and public opinion would demand the reason for our delay. It's
hard, but we've got to go."

And, with a little sigh, the girl meekly accepted the ultimatum.

CHAPTER XV

PREY OF THE PACK

All the next day, the two prepared for their departure. Donald
strengthened the little sledge, and made their goods into a solid
pack, convenient for him to carry when Jean should become tired
and need to ride. She dismantled the shack of the pathetic little
gew-gaws that had been a part of her happy housekeeping, and kissed
them all before she gave them into his hands for packing.

Neither was insensible of the fact that this departure meant more
than the mere ending of their frigid idyl. Both realized that
McTavish was deliberately going back to imprisonment and disgrace,
although no mention was made of