fascinated attention. Suddenly a half-whispered word
escaped him and Ralph was beside him in a moment.

"Look!" And Nick's arm was outstretched pointing.

And Ralph looked in time to see the ghostly form of the Hooded Man as it
slowly passed from view over the hill.

"The Hood!" exclaimed Ralph, in awestruck tones.

"Ay."

"What's--what's he doin' here?" Ralph asked, more of himself than of his
brother. Then he added: "He's on our trail."

There was a slight pause.

"It's somethin' on her account," Nick said, at last, with uneasy
conviction.

As if actuated by a common thought, both turned and looked back at the
hut. Nor was their uneasiness lessened when they beheld Aim-sa standing
directly behind them, gazing out across the woodland hollow with eyes
distended with a great fear. So absorbed was she that she did not
observe the men's scrutiny, and only was her attention drawn to them
when she heard Nick's voice addressing her. Then her lids drooped in
confusion and she hastily turned back to the house. But Nick was not to
be denied.

"Ye've seen him," he said sharply; "him wi' the hood?" And he made a
motion with his hand which described the stranger's headgear.

Aim-sa nodded, and Nick went on.

"We seen him up north. On the trail to the Moosefoot."

The woman again nodded. She quite understood now, and her eyes
brightened suddenly as she turned their dazzling depths of blue upon her
questioner. She understood these men as they little thought she
understood them.

"It is the Spirit--the Great Spirit," she said, in her broken speech.
"The Spirit of--Moosefoot Indian. Him watches Aim-sa--Queen of
Moosefoot. She--White Squaw."

Ralph turned away uneasily. These mysterious allusions troubled him.
Nick could not withdraw his fascinated gaze. Her strange eyes held him
captive.

They took her words without a doubt. They accepted all she said without
question. They never doubted her identity with the White Squaw.
Primitive superstition deeply moved them.

"You was scared when you see him just now?" said Ralph, questioningly.

Aim-sa nodded.

"He come to--take me," she said, halting over the words. "The
Moosefoot--they angry--Aim-sa stay away."

"Hah!"

Nick thrust his rifle out towards her.

"Here take it. It shoots good. When 'The Hood' comes, shoot--savvee?"

Aim-sa took the gun and turned back to the hut. And the men passed out
into the forest.

Aim-sa left the hut soon after the brothers had