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In the bow, Lapierre, with a grim smile upon his thin lips, watched the arcs of the whirling brands, while from their position amidship, Chloe and Big Lena stared fascinated upon the scene. "What are they doing?" cried the girl in amazement. Lapierre turned and smiled into her eyes. "We have come," he answered, "at a most opportune time. You are about to see MacNair's Indians at their worst.
"Suppose, however, that this particular tree is rotten rotten to the heart? That the very roots that hold it in place are rotten? And that the moose-calf butts 'til he butts it down what then?" There was a gleam of admiration in MacNair's eyes as he answered: "If the tree is rotten it will fall. But it will fall to the mighty push o' the winds o' God and not to the puny butt of a moose-calf!"
Whereupon Big Lena had taken matters into her own hands and literally dragged him into MacNair's presence, replying to his terrified protest that if MacNair was going to kill him, he was going to kill and he might as well have it over with.
Once inside, Lapierre fixed his eyes upon the boss canoeman. "Well you have watched Apaw what have you found out?" "Apaw I'm t'ink she spik de trut'." "Speak the truth hell! Why didn't he get down here ahead of MacNair, then? What have I got spies for to drag in after MacNair's gone and tell me he's been here?" LeFroy shrugged. "MacNair Injuns dey com' pret' near catch Apaw dey keel Stamix.
"Once more, it seems, my dear Miss Elliston, I have arrived just in time." A sudden repulsion for this cruel, suave killer of men flashed into the girl's brain. "Get some water," she cried, and dropping to her knees began to unbutton MacNair's flannel shirt. "But " objected Lapierre. "Will you get some water? This is no time to argue! You can explain later!"
We can defy MacNair's Indians and stand off the Mounted until such time as we are in a position to dictate our own terms. If we stand man to man together, we have everything to gain and nothing to lose. We are outlawed, every one. There is no turning back!"
He stared wildly into MacNair's eyes eyes that glowed with a greenish hate-glare like the night-eyes of the wolf. Backward and yet backward the man bent until it seemed that his spine must snap. His clenched fists ceased to beat futilely against the huge shoulders of his opponent, and he clawed frantically at the snow that hung in a miniature cornice along the edge of the wood-pile.
This done she took the letter, tiptoed across the living-room, and pushing open the Louchoux girl's door entered and seated herself upon the edge of the bed. The Indian girl was wide awake. A brown hand stole from beneath the covers and clasped reassuringly about Chloe's fingers. She handed the girl the letter. "I can trust you," she said, "to place this in MacNair's hands.
"Do you not see, Miss Elliston, that MacNair is trying by every means in his power to discredit me in your eyes? Apatawa, the Indian you " Chloe shuddered as he paused, and he hastened on "The Indian who attempted to shoot MacNair, was originally one of MacNair's own Indians one of the few who dared to desert him. And, for the wrongs he had suffered, he had sworn to kill MacNair."
The journey down the Yellow Knife was a nightmare for the quarter-breed, who momentarily expected an attack from MacNair's Indians. Upon their safe arrival, however, his black eyes glittered wickedly at last MacNair was his. Fate had played directly into his hands. He knew the attack was inevitable, and during the excitement well, LeFroy could be trusted to attend to MacNair.
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