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He stretched out a timid hand and touched her sleeve. "What is it, Ma'amselle?" he begged abjectly. "I would heal it with my blood!" Extravagant, impulsive, the boy was in deadly earnest, and Maren Le Moyne was conscious of it as simply as that she lived. Just as simply she acknowledged to him what she would have to none other in De Seviere, that something had fallen from a clear sky.
They lifted McElroy, swinging in his blanket, and the tread of the moccasined feet was hollow on the planks. Thus there passed up to the gate of De Seviere a triumphal procession of victory, whose heart was heavy within it, and whose leader in her tattered dress was the saddest sight of all. She raised her hand and beat upon the gate, and a voice cried, "Who comes?"
To add to the small resentment against him which began to rankle in McElroy's heart, and which had never really left it since that evening in De Seviere when Maren Le Moyne had passed behind the cabin of the Savilles with some voyageur's tot on her shoulder and the handsome gallant from Montreal had lost his manners staring, one day in this same week a Bois-Brules came to the post gates and asked for one Maren Le Moyne.
They stilled themselves in a peculiar manner. "Oh, ye sachems and Men of Wisdom," he said, turning to the headmen gathered together, "come ye to the tepee of Negansahima and behold what ye have done!" Slowly, as he had come, the chief trader of De Seviere turned about and passed out of the light.
A handsome man was this factor of Fort de Seviere, tall and well formed, with that grace of carriage which speaks of perfect manhood; his head, covered with a thick growth of sun-coloured hair curling lightly at the ends, tossed ever back, ready to laugh. Scottish blood, mingled with a strong Irish strain, ran riot in him, giving him at once both love of life and honour.
Yet thy brothers come down from their lodges to Fort de Seviere because of the love they bear to you, and for the fairness in trade that never varies. Many beavers are in the packs, much marten and fox and ermine. We will do good trade. Guns that are light and neat shaped to the hand, with good locks. Also much tobacco and sweet fruits.
Francette looked after her, with small hands clinched and breast heaving with, anger, and there had the stranger made her second enemy in Fort de Seviere within the first fortnight. Along the northern wall there was much bustle and scurry, the noise of voices and of preparation, for the men were busy with the raising of the first new cabin.
With a daring heart the venturer from Grand Portage went in across the sill. To a man the men of De Seviere rallied to him and council was held. Everywhere in the trading-room, the living-room behind, were evidences of the factor and Ridgar. It seemed as if the two men had but just stepped out-were not in hostile hands drifting down the river toward an unspeakable fate.
"'Tis I, Marc Dupre from De Seviere." "Voila! Another! Are there more of you?" "I would know first, M'sieu, where is your heart, with savage or Hudson's Bay?" "Fair question, truly. I but now am started for yonder lodge on quest of their deliverance, though without hope. Your appearance lends me that." "Sacre! 'Tis done already. Listen, M'sieu, with all your ears.
"The man you saw taken from the canoe is Monsieur Anders McElroy, Factor of Fort de Seviere on the Assiniboine, and of the Hudson's Bay Company." "Faith of me fathers! Say ye so! A man of our own men!" "Aye. Then you are also of the Company? Good!
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