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Although nobody supposed him to be wealthy, he had a steward called Martin, three lackeys called George, Lapierre, and Lachaussee, and besides his coach and other carriages he kept ordinary bearers for excursions at night. As he was young and good-looking, nobody troubled about where all these luxuries came from.

"Yes; who be you?" was the ungracious response, delivered in a gruff tone of voice. Old Stolliver was a boorish, cross-grained customer, who paid slight regard to the amenities, and did not show to advantage in conversation. "Don't you know me? I am Mister Lapierre." "O, Mr. Lapierre, eh? Been a warm day." "Yes. Hass Mister Safareen gone?" "Mister who?" "Mister Safareen.

As for Pierre Lapierre and his band, they must be crushed and driven out of the land of the lakes and the rivers, but the time was not yet. He, MacNair, would tell them when to strike, and only if Lapierre's Indians were found prowling about the vicinity of Snare Lake were they to be molested. The Indians dispersed and, slinging a rifle over his shoulder, MacNair swung off alone into the bush.

His glance swept the lake, and suddenly his shoulders stiffened as he scrutinized several moving figures that approached across the level surface of the snow. Striding swiftly to the edge of the plateau, he shaded his eyes with his hand and gazed long and earnestly toward the approaching figures. Then he returned to Lapierre. The man had stood the terrible ordeal without losing consciousness.

Constable Craig's lips twitched in a suppressed smile. "Ripley was right," he muttered to himself as he awaited MacNair's reply. "They have found each other at last." And then the answer came. MacNair stared straight into the officer's eyes, and his words rang with a terrible meaning. "Lapierre," he said, "has gone away from here. If you see him again you shall never forget him."

Up on Snare Lake the men to whom Lapierre had passed the word had taken possession of MacNair's burned and abandoned fort, and there the leader had joined them after stopping at Fort McMurray to tip off to Ripley and Craig the bit of evidence that he hoped would clinch the case against MacNair.

Lapierre, however, had his own eminently more practical, if less Utopian, ideas concerning the erection of a trading-post; for in the quarter-breed's mind the planting of an independent trading-post upon the very threshold of MacNair's wilderness empire was of far greater importance than the establishment of a school, or mission, or any other institution especially when the post was one which he himself had set about to control.

"Make all possible speed," he said, as Chloe preceded Big Lena into the canoe; "I shall follow to cover your retreat." The girl was about to protest, but at that moment the canoe shot swiftly out into the lake, and Lapierre disappeared into the bush. There was small need for the quarter-breed's parting injunction.

"'Now, Leblanc, said Dubois, 'we have nothing further to do here, and, added he, showing the paper which he had snatched from the fire, 'I have all I wanted. "And at these words he left, followed by Leblanc. "Lapierre, as soon as he had seen them off, ran to the cabinet, and exclaimed, 'Quick, baron, we must profit by our being alone for you to leave. "'Did you know I was here then, fellow?

Can you tell me why MacNair's Indians are willing to fight to the death to save him from harm? If the things you tell me are true, and I know that they are true, because during the summer I have questioned many of MacNair's Indians, and they all tell the same story; why do they fight for him?" Lapierre considered. "That is one of those things," he answered, "that men cannot explain.