to escape."

"No, I will not! I'll see you hanged first," said Cameron.

Raven deliberately drew his pistol and said slowly:

"I have saved your life twice already, but the time is past for any more
trifling. Now you've got to take it."

At this Little Thunder spoke a word, pointing toward the camp of the
Stonies. Raven hesitated, then with an oath he strode toward Cameron and
thrusting his pistol in his face said in tones of cold and concentrated
rage:

"Listen to me, you fool! Your life is hanging by a hair trigger that
goes off with a feather touch. I give you one more chance. Move hand or
foot and the bullet in this gun will pass neatly through your eye. So
help me God Almighty!"

He spoke to Little Thunder, still keeping Cameron covered with his gun.
The Indian slipped quietly behind Cameron and swiftly threw a line over
his shoulders and, drawing it tight, bound his arms to his side. Again
and again he repeated this operation till Cameron stood swathed in the
coils of the rope like a mummy, inwardly raging, not so much at his
captor, but at himself and his stupid bungling of his break for liberty.
His helpless and absurd appearance seemed to restore Raven's good
humour.

"Now, then," he said, turning to the Stonies and resuming his careless
air, "we will finish our little business. Sit down, Mr. Cameron," he
continued, with a pleasant smile. "It may be less dignified, but it is
much more comfortable."

Once more he took out his flask and passed it round, forgetting to take
it back from his Indian visitors, who continued to drink from it in
turn.

"Listen," he said. "I give you all you see here for your furs and a pony
to pack them. That is my last word. Quick, yes or no? Tell them no more
trifling, Little Thunder. The moon is high. We start in ten minutes."

There was no further haggling. The Indians seemed to recognise that the
time for that was past. After a brief consultation they grunted their
acceptance and proceeded to pack up their goods, but with no good will.
More vividly than any in the company they realised the immensity of the
fraud that was being perpetrated upon them. They were being robbed of
their whole winter's kill and that of some of their friends as well,
but they were helpless in the grip of their mad passion for the trader's
fire-water. Disgusted with themselves and filled with black rage against
the man who had so pitilessly stripped them bare of the profits of a
year's toil and