each them. He went deliberately to the
sapling, leaned over, and then!--

"CRASH!"

He whirled about as if shot. There was no longer an opening where he
had entered. The sapling "trigger" had released an over-head door, and
Neewa was a prisoner. He was not excited, but accepted the situation
quite coolly, probably having no doubt in his mind that somewhere there
was an aperture between the logs large enough for him to squeeze
through. After a few inquisitive sniffs he proceeded to devour the
fish. He was absorbed in his odoriferous feast when out of a clump of
dwarf balsams a few yards away appeared an Indian. He quickly took in
the situation, turned, and disappeared.

Half an hour later this Indian ran into a clearing in which were the
recently constructed buildings of a new Post. He made for the Company
store. In the fur-carpeted "office" of this store a man was bending
fondly over a woman. The Indian saw them as he entered, and chuckled.
"Sakehewawin" ("the love couple"); that was what they had already come
to call them at Post Lac Bain--this man and woman who had given them a
great feast when the missioner had married them not so very long ago.
The man and the woman stood up when the Indian entered, and the woman
smiled at him. She was beautiful. Her eyes were glowing, and there was
the flush of a flower in her cheeks. The Indian felt the worship of her
warm in his heart.

"Oo-ee, we have caught the bear," he said. "But it is napao (a
he-bear). There is no cub, Iskwao Nanette!"

The white man chuckled.

"Aren't we having the darndest luck getting you a cub for a house-pet,
Nanette?" he asked. "I'd have sworn this mother and her cub would have
been easily caught. A he-bear! We'll have to let him loose, Mootag. His
pelt is good for nothing. Do you want to go with us and see the fun,
Nanette?"

She nodded, her little laugh filled with the joy of love and life.

"Oui. It will be such fun--to see him go!"

Challoner led the way, with an axe in his hand; and with him came
Nanette, her hand in his. Mootag followed with his rifle, prepared for
an emergency. From the thick screen of balsams Challoner peered forth,
then made a hole through which Nanette might look at the cage and its
prisoner. For a moment or two she held her breath as she watched Neewa
pacing back and forth, very much excited now. Then she gave a little
cry, and Challoner felt her fingers pinch his own sharply. Before he
knew what she was about t