, he saw Inspector Wallace seated in
conversation with the priest, and his heart went cold.

During the meal, served by a Cree woman, the admiring eyes of Wallace
seldom left Julie's face. At first he seemed surprised at the presence
of Marcel at the table but the priest made it quite evident to the
Company man that Jean was as one of the family. However, as the
Frenchman rarely joined in the conversation and early excused himself,
leaving Wallace a free field, the Inspector's temper at what might have
seemed presumption in a Company hunter was unmarred.

July came and to the surprise of Gillies and Whale River, the big
Company canoe still remained under its tarpaulin on the post landing.
That the priest looked kindly on the possibility of such a
brother-in-law was evident from his hospitality to Wallace, but what
piqued the curiosity of Colin Gillies and McCain was whether Wallace, a
Scotch Protestant, had as yet accepted the Catholic faith, for the
Oblat, Pere Breton, could not marry his sister to a man of another
religious belief. However, deep in the spell of the charming Julie,
Inspector Wallace stayed on after the trade was over, giving as his
reason his desire to go south with the Company steamer which shortly
would be due.

Although to Jean she was the same merry Julie, each morning visiting the
stockade to play with Fleur's puppies, who now had their eyes well open
and were beginning to find an uncertain balance, he avoided her, rarely
seeing her except at meal time. Of the change in their relations he
never spoke, but man-like he was hurt that she failed to take him to
task for his moodiness. In the evening, now, she walked on the
river-shore with Wallace, and talked through the twilight when the sun
lingered below the rim of the world in the west. Jean Marcel had gone
out of her life. He ceased to mention the Inspector's name, and absented
himself from meals when the Scotchman was expected.

Julie had said: "Jean, you are one of us, always welcome. Why do you
stay away when Monsieur Wallace comes?" And he had answered: "You know
why I stay away, Julie Breton."

That was all.

CHAPTER XXIX

THE FANGS OF THE HALF-BREEDS

One night when Jean returned late from his nets after a long paddle,
seeking the exhaustion that would bring sleep and temporary respite from
his grief, a canoe manned by three men drifted alongshore toward his
beached canoe. Occupied with his thoughts, Marcel took no notice o