ion.

"So I've heard," said the half-breed.

He had produced a pipe, and was leisurely filling it from a pouch of
antelope hide. His two companions did the same. The stranger took his
pipe from his fur coat pocket and cut some tobacco from a plug. This
he offered to his companions, but it was rejected in favour of their
own.

"The only thing I've had--that and my fur coat--to keep me from
freezing to death for more than four days. Haven't so much as seen a
sign of life since I lost the dog track."

"This country's a terror," observed the half-breed emphatically.

All four men lit their pipes. The sick man only drew once or twice at
his, then he laid it aside. The process of smoking caused the blisters
on his face to smart terribly.

"Gives your face gyp," said the half-breed, sympathetically. "Best not
bother to smoke to-night."

He pulled vigorously at his own pipe, and the two Indians followed
suit. And gradually a pleasant odour, not of tobacco but some strange
perfume, disguised the reek of the atmosphere. It was pungent but
delightful, and the stranger remarked upon it.

"What's that you are smoking?" he asked.

For one instant the half-breed's eyes were turned upon him with a
curious look. Then he turned back to the contemplation of the stove.

"Kind o' weed that grows around these wilds," he answered. "Only stuff
we get hereabouts. It's good when you're used to it." He laughed
quietly.

The stranger looked from one to the other of his three companions. He
was struck by a sudden thought.

"What do you do here? I mean for a living?"

"Trap," replied the Breed shortly.

"Many furs about?"

"Fair."

"Slow work," said the stranger, indifferently.

Then a silence fell. The wayfarer was getting very drowsy. The pungent
odour from his companions' pipes seemed to have a strangely soothing
effect upon him. Before he was aware of it he caught himself nodding,
and, try as he would, he could not keep his heavy eyelids open. The
men smoked on in silence. Three pairs of eyes watched the stranger's
efforts to keep awake, and a malicious gleam was in the look with
which they surveyed him. He was too sleepy to observe. Besides, had he
been in condition to do so, the expression of their eyes would
probably have been different. Slowly his head drooped forward. He was
dreaming pleasantly already, although, as yet, he was not quite
asleep. Now he no longer attempted to keep his eyes open. Further his
head droop