zzed me not a little and his wife, Miriam, laughed. When I surprised
them all by jumping suddenly from boyhood to manhood--"like a tadpole
into a mosquito," as my Uncle Jack facetiously remarked. Meanwhile, a
son and heir came to my friend's home and I had to be thankful for a
humble third place.

And so it came that I was waiting for Eric's arrival at the Quebec Club
that night, peering from the porch for sight of him and calculating how
long it would take to ride from the Chateau Bigot above Charlesbourg,
where he was staying. Stepping outside, I was surprised to see the form
of a horse beneath the lantern of the arched gateway; and my surprise
increased on nearer inspection. As I walked up, the creature gave a
whinny and I recognized Hamilton's horse, lathered with sweat,
unblanketed and shivering. The possibility of an accident hardly
suggested itself before I observed the bridle-rein had been slung over
the hitching-post and heard steps hurrying to the side door of the
club-house.

"Is that you, Eric?" I called.

There was no answer; so I led the horse to the stable boy and hurried
back to see if Hamilton were inside. The sitting room was deserted; but
Eric's well-known, tall figure was entering the dining-room. And a
curious figure he presented to the questioning looks of the club men. In
one hand was his riding whip, in the other, his gloves. He wore the
buckskin coat of a trapper and in the belt were two pistols. One sleeve
was torn from wrist to elbow and his boots were scratched as if they had
been combed by an iron rake. His broad-brimmed hat was still on,
slouched down over his eyes like that of a scout.

"Gad! Hamilton," exclaimed Uncle Jack MacKenzie, who was facing Eric as
I came up behind, "have you been in a race or a fight?" and he gave him
the look of suspicion one might give an intoxicated man.

"Is it a cold night?" asked the colonel punctiliously, gazing hard at
the still-strapped hat.

Not a word came from Hamilton.

"How's the cold in your head?" continued Adderly, pompously trying to
stare Hamilton's hat off.

"Here I am, old man! What's kept you?" and I rushed forward but quickly
checked myself; for Hamilton turned slowly towards me and instead of
erect bearing, clear glance, firm mouth, I saw a head that was bowed,
eyes that burned like fire, and parched, parted, wordless lips.

If the colonel had not been stuffing himself like the turkey guzzler
that he was, he would have seen some