rsman.

"Then, as ye hope to save your soul," warned Father Holland not yet
appeased, "deliver this young man's message!"

"Tell Hamilton," I cried, "that she whom he seeks is held captive by a
band of Sioux on Lake Winnipeg and to make haste. Tell him that and
he'll reward you well!"

"Vary by one word from the message," added the priest, "and my curses'll
track your soul to the furnace."

Father Holland relaxed his grasp, the paddles dipped down and the canoe
was lost in the darkness.

More than once I thought that a shadowy thing like an Indian's boat had
hung on our rear and the craft seemed to be dogging us back to the
flats. Father Holland raised his torch and could see nothing on the
water but the glassy reflection of our own forms. He said it was a
phantom boat I had seen; and, truly, visions of Le Grande Diable had
haunted me so persistently of late, I could scarcely trust my senses.
Frances Sutherland's torch suddenly appeared waving above the flats. I
put muscle to the oar and before we had landed she called out--

"An Indian's canoe shot past a moment ago. Did you see it?"

"No," returned Father Holland.

"I think we did," said I.

* * * * *

"How can I thank you for what you have done?" I was saying to Frances
Sutherland as we entered the fort by the same sally-port.

"Do you really want to know how?"

"Do I?" I was prepared to offer dramatic sacrifice.

"Then never think of it again, nor speak of it again, nor know me any
more than if it hadn't happened----"

"The conditions are hard."

"And----"

"And what?" I asked eagerly.

"And help me back the way I came down. For if my father--oh! if my
father knew--he would kill me!"

"Faith! So he ought!" ejaculated the priest. "Risking such precious
treasure among vandals!"

Again I piled up the benches. From the bench, she stepped to the bucket,
and from the bucket to my shoulder, and as the light weight left my
shoulder for the window sill, unknown to her, I caught the fluffy skirt,
now bedraggled with the night dew, and kissed it gratefully.

"Oh--ho--and oh-ho and oh-ho," hummed the priest. "Do _I_ scent
matrimony?"

"Not unless it's in your nose," I returned huffily. "Show me a man of
all the hundreds inside, Father Holland, that wouldn't go on his
marrow-bones to a woman who risks life and reputation, which is dearer
than life, to save another woman!"

"Bless you, me hearty, if he wouldn't, he'd be