for them. What else could I do?"

"Wouldn't the Provincial Government of British Columbia, or your
authorities at Ottawa take the matter up?"

Wyllard's smile was somewhat grim. "It wouldn't be wise to give them
an opportunity. For one thing, they've had enough of sealing cases,
and that isn't astonishing. We'll say they applied for the persons of
three British subjects who are supposed to be living somewhere in
Russian Asia--and for that matter I couldn't be sure that two of them
aren't Americans--the Russians naturally enquire what the men were
doing there. The answer is that they were poaching the Russians'
seals. Then the affair on the beach comes up, and there's a big claim
for compensation and trouble all round. It seems to me the last thing
those men--they're practically outlaws--would desire would be to have a
Russian expedition sent up on their trail. They would want to lie
hidden until they could somehow get off again."

"But how have they lived up there? The whole land's frozen, isn't it,
most of the year?"

"They'd sealing rifles, and the Koriaks make out farther north in their
roofed-in pits. One can live on seal and walrus meat and blubber."

Agatha shivered. "But they'd no tents, or furs, or blankets. It's
horrible to imagine it."

"Yes," said Wyllard, gravely, "that's why I'm going for them."

Agatha sat still a moment. She could realise the magnitude of the
sacrifice he was making, and in some degree the hazards that he must
face. It appealed to her with an overwhelming force, but she was also
conscious of a strange dismay. Then she turned to him with a flush of
colour in her cheeks and her eyes shining.

"Oh," she said, "it's splendid!"

Wyllard smiled. "What could I do?" he said, "I sent them."

Then somewhat to Agatha's relief Mrs. Hastings came out of the house,
and Wyllard moved away towards the stable to bring out her team.

CHAPTER XIV.

AGATHA PROVES OBDURATE.

It was two days later when Agatha, coming back from a stroll across the
prairie with the two little girls, found Mrs. Hastings awaiting her at
the homestead door.

"I'll take the kiddies. Harry Wyllard's here, and he seems quite
anxious to see you, though I don't know what he wants," she said.

She flashed a searching glance at the girl, whose face, however,
remained expressionless. It was, at least, not often that Agatha's
composure broke down.

"Anyway," she added, "you had better go in. Alle