to these two he knew well that all dignity would be
observed. As for himself, his living of every day was scant and plain as
regarded the manner of its serving.

"What is it, M'sieu, that so assails the nostrils with delicious aroma,
if I may so far forget politeness? 'Tis not beef, assuredly,--there is
too much of the scent of the wild about it."

"Moose," replied McElroy, and by this time the vague vexation had blown
out of his heart as all ill-feelings were wont to do, "moose, killed in
the snows and hung in the smoke of a little fire until the very heart
of the wood is in the meat. And now, M'sieu, fall to. I would I had
something better than Rette's strong coffee in which to pledge you, but,
as you see, Fort de Seviere has no cantine salope. It is not the policy
of the Great Company, as you doubtless know, to abet its trade with the
Indians by the use of liquor."

De Courtenay looked quickly up.

"Why, I thought,--but then I have much to learn, in fact, all to learn,
since I am but raw in the wilderness."

Like men hungry and athirst from the hardships of the trail and the
stream, the camp and the portage, the guests did justice to the savoury
viands, and at last leaned back in repletion, while Rette took off the
plates and cups; the spoons and forks, and set in their stead a huge pot
of crumbled tobacco with a tin box containing pipes.

"And now," said the factor, smiling, "let us have talk of that world of
which I am hungering for news. You are of the fall ship's load of new
arrivals, I take it?"

"No," said De Courtenay, "it was last spring, about this time, that I
first saw the shores of the New World. Five of my men came with me from
across seas and the rest I picked on starting into the wilderness. They
are mostly Canadians of Scottish blood. I have a fancy that the strong
blond peoples are best for the rigours of what one may find in this
country. Though," he laughed as at some reminiscence, "I have found so
far that my two swarthy guides are worth any three of the rest."

"You have found the way hard?"

"Mother of God! If the rest is like the first of it, I think you may
find my bones bleaching beside some portage where I have given up the
ghost. Truly do we pay for our whims of caprice, M'sieu."

"Whims?"

"Aye, what save a whim of the moment could have induced me to undertake
so great a hardship as this winning to the Saskatchewan? What save the
love of excitement sent me to be, like yoursel