per. "That white
painted house in the middle of the square is his. The other house on
the right, painted yellow, is where the men live. Mr Grant has only
got six men, poor fellow, to keep him company; he seldom sees a new face
here from one end of the year to the other. But he makes a trip once a
year to the head post of the district with his furs, and that's a sort
of break to him."

"Are there no women at the place?" inquired the artist.

"Only two," replied Jasper. "At least there were two when I was here
last; they were the wives of two of the men, Indian women they were,
with few brains, and little or nothin' to say; but they were useful
critters for all that, for they could make coats, and trousers, and
moccasins, and mittens, and they were first-rate cooks, besides bein'
handy at almost every kind o' work. They could even use the gun. I've
heard o' them bringin' down a wild goose on the wing, when none o' the
men were at hand to let drive at the passing flock. I do believe that's
Mr Grant himself standin' at the gate o' the fort."

Jasper was right. The master of Jasper's House, a big, hearty-looking
man of about five-and-forty, was standing at the gate of his lonely
residence, leaning against one of the door-posts, with his hands in his
breeches pockets and a short pipe in his mouth. His summer employments
had come to an end,--no Indians had been near the place for many weeks,
and he happened to have nothing at that time to do but eat, smoke, and
sleep; which three occupations he usually attended to with much
earnestness. Mr Grant did not observe the canoe approaching from
below, for at that time his attention was attracted to something up the
river. Suddenly he started, took his pipe from his lips, and, bending
forward, listened with deep, earnest attention. A faint murmur came
floating down on the breeze, sending a thrill of pleasure to the heart
of the solitary man, as well it might, for a new face was a rare sight
at Jasper's House.

At last a loud shout rang through the forest, and five Indian canoes
swept round a point of rocks, and came suddenly into view, the men
tossing their paddles in the air and sending rainbows of spray over
their heads as they made for the landing-place. These were three or
four families of Indians, who had come from a long hunting expedition
laden with rich furs.

Their canoes, though small and light, could hold a wonderful quantity.
In the foremost sat a young