Shrahegan crept softly away back to his own people, and told the chief
his story."

"And that was why you spared me," said Keith in astonishment.

"Yes. Shrahegan saw there the man who saved the old chief's son, and
Shrahegan never forgets a kindness."

"What! are you the chief's son?"

"Yes."

"And what would have happened if I had not saved your life, or if you
had not recognized me?"

"You would have been put to death. No paleface ever entered the
Quelchie camp and lived to tell about it."

"So other white men have come here, then, and you cruelly killed them?"

"They came to steal our land, and to find out what you call gold."

"Ah, now I see. That is why you have the prospector's pick and shovel
there. You killed the man and kept these."

"Yes, there were two men, but one got away, and the Quelchies could not
catch him."

At once there flashed into Keith's mind the story Constance had told
him of the prospector who had died in the Vancouver Hospital, and the
map he had entrusted to her. He had seen the sketch and it
corresponded exactly with this locality. Was it the place, he
wondered, where Pritchen and Kenneth had been?

"Tell me," he said, "how many pale-face men have entered this valley
and went back again?"

"Only this many," and Shrahegan held up three fingers. "The man I told
you about, and two when the geese went South. The Quelchies did not
know they were here till too late to catch them."

"Shrahegan," and Keith looked earnestly at the Indian, "will you show
me where that gold lies? Will you take me to the place?"

A stern expression came into the native's face, and Keith feared he had
gone too far. It was only a fleeting shadow, however, which was
instantly dispelled.

"Yes, Shrahegan will take his pale-face brother to the gold," was the
brief reply. "But come, rest now. It is late."

That night as Keith lay wrapped up in a large wolf-skin robe, he
thought much of the stirring scenes which had happened during the day.
He saw most plainly the guidance of the Father's hand, and His great
over-ruling power. "Because the Saviour bore His cross," he said to
himself, "endured agony and shame, a great light has sprung up
throughout the world. So God grant, that from my cross a light may
come forth to lighten this tribe, sunk so long in the weary darkness of
superstition and sin."

CHAPTER XXVI

GUARDED

While the old chief, and the Indians about him, were quietly