their arms around each other,
under the blanket. It was easy to love Wanamee. But then she had begun
it as a child--Was it easy to love when one was grown?

The darkness was descending when they heard a shout. Was it friend or
foe? Another, and it came nearer. It was not the voice of an Indian.

De Loie rushed in upon them. "You men go and relieve those at the
litter. Savignon is a wizard. He has the three men. I could not believe
it at first, and I am afraid now it is a trick. You cannot trust an
Indian."

Rose drew a long breath. Then her fate was sealed. Or, if they were
attacked in the night, it would be some compensation to die together.

They came in at last, with Destournier on an improvised hemlock litter.
The fire blazed up brightly, making a striking picture of the eager
faces. The men lowered the litter to the ground, and they crowded around
it. Destournier was ghostly pale, but full of thankfulness. When there
was a little space open he reached out his hand to Rose.

"You two women have been very brave, but you should not have taken the
journey. As for Savignon, we all owe him a debt that we can never
repay."

"It is repaid already," returned the Indian, glancing over at Rose. "To
have rescued you----"

"What arts and incantations you used! I could not have believed it
possible to move their stony hearts."

"It was not their hearts." Savignon gave a grim smile. "It was their
fears that were worked upon. I was afraid at one time that I would not
succeed. But I had a reward before me."

"Quebec will pay you all honor. It is a grand thing to have saved three
lives from torture and death. For there was no other escape."

That night Destournier related the surprise and capture. The stores were
a great loss. But they would not let him bemoan them.

"We must get back as rapidly as we can," he said. "I do not trust the
temper of the reinforcements, when they find they have been balked of
their prey."

The snow had only been a light fall, and the trees in their higher
branches were marvels of beauty. It had not reached the ground in many
places.

After a frugal breakfast the cavalcade started. Destournier insisted
upon walking at first, as he was freshened by his night's rest,
comparatively free from anxiety. His broken leg was well bandaged, and
he used two crutches. Rose noticed the thinness and pallor, and the
general languid air, but she kept herself quite in the background.
Savignon was really l