door and looked out. He turned round again, and shrugged
his shoulders with an expression of helplessness. But as he saw Jen was
about to speak, and Sergeant Tom to move towards the door, he put up his
hand to stay them both, and said: "A little--wait!"

Then all were silent. Jen's fingers nervously clasped and unclasped, and
her eyes were strained towards the door. Sergeant Tom stood watching
her pityingly; the old man's head was bowed. The sound of galloping grew
plainer. It stopped. An instant and then three horsemen appeared before
the door. One was Inspector Jules, one was Private Waugh, and the other
between them was--let Jen tell who he was. With an agonised cry she
rushed from the house and threw herself against the saddle, and with her
arms about the prisoner, cried: "Oh, Val, Val, it was you! It was you
they were after. It was you that--oh no, no, no! My poor Val, and I
can't tell you--I can't tell you!"

Great as was her grief and self-reproach, she felt it would be cruel
to tell him the part she had taken in placing him in this position. She
hated herself, but why deepen his misery? His face was pale, but it had
its old, open, fearless look, which dissipation had not greatly
marred. His eyelids quivered, but he smiled, and touching her with his
steel-bound hands, gently said:

"Never mind, Jen. It isn't so bad. You see it was this way: Snow Devil
said something about someone that belonged to me, that cares more about
me than I deserve. Well, he died sudden, and I was there at the time.
That's all. I was trying with the help of Pretty Pierre to get out of
the country"--and he waved his hand towards the half-breed.

"With Pretty Pierre--Pierre"? she said.

"Yes, he isn't all gambler. But they were too quick for me, and here I
am. Jules is a hustler on the march. But he said he'd stop here and let
me see you and dad as we go up to Fort Desire, and--there, don't mind,
Sis--don't mind it so!"

Her sobs had ceased, but she clung to him as if she could never let him
go. Her father stood near her, all the lines in his face deepened into
bitterness. To him Val said: "Why, dad, what's the matter? Your hand is
shaky. Don't you get this thing eatin' at your heart.

"It isn't worth it. That Injin would have died if you'd been in my
place, I guess. Between you and me, I expect to give Jules the slip
before we get there." And he laughed at the Inspector, who laughed a
little austerely too, and in his heart wished th