ous. Above
the walls, a bastion of squared logs, looped-holed for four- and
six-pounders, rose. There was another one at the opposite corner
of the square, and together they commanded all approaches.

Angus Fitzpatrick opened the message Tee-ka-mee handed to him, and
read it. His only sign of emotion was the lifting of an eyebrow.
Then, he waved the Indian out.

"McTavish!" he called sharply, and the younger man turned wearily
from the window to face his superior.

"I suppose you know that half-breed, Charley Seguis, in your
district? He comes up with the _brigade_ every spring, I believe."

"Yes, I know him. He is a skilful trapper and a half-breed of
remarkable intelligence."

"Huh! That's the trouble; he's got too much intelligence to make him
safe as a half-breed. What do you know about him? Is he a bad one?"

"Quite the contrary, so far as I have observed."

"Well, he's been bad this time. Read that." Fitzpatrick handed
Cardepie's scrawl to McTavish, and watched keenly as the latter
read:

SIR:

Yesterday Charley Seguis murder Cree Johnny. No reason I can
find. I send this by runner so Mr. McTavish get it before he
starts back.

CARDEPIE.

"That's most remarkable, sir," said Donald, genuinely puzzled. "I
never would have suspected Charley of that. He has brains enough
to know the consequences of murder. I can't understand it."

"Neither can Cardepie, evidently. He says he knows no reason for
the deed." Fitzpatrick heaved himself up, and leaned forward
interestedly. "You know," he went on, "that this thing cannot go
unpunished. Charley Seguis must be captured, and brought to the
fort here."

"Will the mounted police get here before--?" began McTavish.

"The mounted police be hanged! There are only seven hundred of
them, and they have to cover a country as big as Siberia. You don't
suppose I'm going to wait for them, do you? Nominally, they're the
law here, but literally I and the men under me are. Retribution in
this case must be swift and sure, as it always has been from Fort
Severn." Fitzpatrick paused to breathe.

"Then, you mean that I must go out and get him," Donald interpreted,
calmly.

"You spare me the trouble of saying it," replied the other. "When
can you start?"

"In three hours."

Fitzpatrick glanced at the clock on the wall.

"Too late now," he said. "Better wait until to-morrow. The feed
and the night's rest will do you good. Whatever happens, you've
got to