at liberty once again, in a certain sense of the word, and that he
had a fighting chance. The sight of old Maria recalled to his mind
the words of Angus Fitzpatrick in regard to the marriage certificate
that existed as proof of his father's youthful indiscretion. On
the instant, he vowed that the hag should give up the truth of the
matter before she was many hours older.

As the little party entered the camp, the men who had remained
there plied them with questions as to the success of the foraging
party. When the meager story had been told, they shook their heads
dolefully at the lack of information, and set about the work of
preparing the evening meal of fish.

McTavish, as he joined the circle with a ravenous appetite, could
scarcely credit the desolation he saw on all sides of him. Now that
the main loghouse was down, the settlement presented a dreary and
hopeless aspect. The one redeeming feature was the huge pile of
rescued fur-bales. The quantity and quality of these impressed him
strongly. One of the men, observing his interest in them, remarked:

"If you fellows would get down to business, instead of wasting all
winter fussing about us, you might have something like that brought
into the fort when spring comes, yourselves."

"Well, you see," returned Donald good-humoredly, "our idea is to have
those brought in when spring comes. That's all we're fighting for."

"Deuce of a chance you've got of getting those furs!" retorted the
other, contemptuously. "We're sick of the H. B.'s starvation trading,
and we've quit for good and all."

"The Hudson Bay may give starvation trading, but I'd like to know
where else you'll get as much."

Donald was leading the man on, for here was very valuable information,
and this babbler evidently did not know the worth of a tight mouth.

"As much!" the trapper snorted. "Why, these Frenchies'll give us
half again as much for a 'beaver' as you chaps ever thought of
giving. And there's no use you fellows trying to keep them out,
either. This is free territory, you know, even if old Fitz' doesn't
think so. I've told Seguis often enough that, if he'd wipe old
Fitz' off the map, he'd do the brotherhood more good than any other
hundred men."

"I know, my good friend. But when do you suppose these Frenchies
will ever connect with you? Maybe never and--"

The other burst into derisive laughter.

"Why, you poor fool!" he cried. "If it hadn't been for this blizzard
to-day, we'd ha