t appeared that he had helped one or two fellows
with small sums of money and good advice. In the autumn he had fished
out an Indian who had upset his boat while netting whitefish in rough
weather, on the lake, and every one knew that Stefan's life had been
saved by him. At any rate the Swede said so, for Hugo never liked much
to speak of such things. And then he was a steady fellow, a hard
worker, good at the traps and not afraid of work of any kind. And then
he was friendly to everybody. Had Madge noticed how gentle he was with
the little children? That was always a sign of a good man.

"Yes, mees," she concluded. "Some time I tink heem de bes' man as ever
lif. Heem Hugo not even 'urt one dog, or anyting."

So he wouldn't hurt even a dog! Madge repeated these words to herself.
Then why had he played such a sorry joke on a woman who had never
injured him? She wondered whether he would be sorry, afterwards,
if--if he ever chanced to learn what had become of her--after
everything was all over. It might be that he had just been a big fool,
as the Canadian woman had called him, and never reflected on the
possible consequences of his action. But then he should have had the
manhood to acknowledge his fault and beg her pardon, instead of
resorting at once to clumsy lies and pretending utter ignorance. In
many ways such conduct seemed inconsistent with the man, now that she
had had further opportunity of seeing him. And then there was no doubt
that he looked very ill. She was really very sorry for her share in
that accident, and yet--and yet men had been shot dead for smaller
offenses than he had meted out to her. He might have been killed, of
course, and her quickened imagination caused her to see him stretched
stark upon the floor of that little cabin, on those rough boards that
smelled of resiny things. And then people would have come and she
would have been accused of his murder, of course. It would have been
her weapon that had done it, and they would have found motive enough
for the deed in the story she would have been compelled to relate.
They wouldn't have believed in any accident. And then, instead of
being able to end everything in some air hole of Roaring River, she
would have been dragged to some jail to eke out her days in a prison,
if she had not been hanged.

The next day she awaited his coming somewhat anxiously. She felt that
she must know how he was before--before taking that last step. After
all he had t