street.
In consequence, Foster could not tell who were guests and who were not.
By and by he filled his pipe, and a man who was lighting his held out
the match, which Foster took with a word of thanks. It might have been
a trifling politeness, but he thought the other had waited until he was
ready.

"You're a stranger," the man remarked.

"Yes," said Foster, "I've just come in."

"Looking for business?"

Foster quietly studied the man. He was neatly dressed and looked keen
and alert. It was possible that he was a storekeeper, or a real estate
agent, which is a common occupation in a Western town.

"Well," he said, "I don't often let a chance of a trade go past, but
when you're in a strange place, the trouble is to tell if you've got a
snap or not."

"Sure thing," agreed the other. "What's your line?"

"Dressed lumber."

"Then I can't do much for you, but there's quite a lot of new
construction planned and the boys will get busy as soon as the frost
breaks," said the man.

He went on to talk about the trade of the town and province, and on the
whole Foster was glad he had been in British Columbia before and knew
something about the country. It was better to be cautious and he did
not want to show he came from the east.

By and by another man crossed the floor and picked up a newspaper that
lay near. As he did so, he gave Foster a careless glance, and then
went back to the seat he had left. This was at some distance from the
heaters and near the entrance, to which people kept passing, but it
commanded the spot that Foster and his companion occupied. Foster,
however, could not detect him watching them, and soon afterwards the
other man went out.

Nothing happened next day, but Foster stopped and in the evening called
for Pete, whom he had sent to a different hotel, and strolled down the
snowy street. It was very cold and few people were about. A half-moon
hung above the summit of the range, and the climbing pines cut in
ragged black masses against the snow. After crossing a bridge on the
outskirts of the town they stopped and looked about.

A few half-finished houses stood among blackened stumps in a cleared
belt, where there were rubbish heaps and willows were springing up, but
a little farther on the forest rose in a shadowy wall. It was quiet
except for the roar of the river, and Foster shivered as he filled his
pipe.

"It's a nipping wind. I'd better go down the bank a bit before I try
t