will stop him."

"Perhaps if he knew his life would be in danger--that might stop him."

"I doubt it; but I will give him the chance. I will ride back to Red
River without delay, and warn him."

"Good. When will you start?"

"To-night. The moon is clear and will not set till morning. I shall be
well on my way by that time."

"Will you ride alone?"

"No, there may be bad Indians about. I will ask Okematan or Fergus
McKay to ride with me. Why did you not speak to Fergus instead of to
me?"

"Because he has not been spoken to by any one," answered Dechamp; "and I
would not be the first to put suspicion into his head about his own
brother. Besides, your head is clearer; and your interest in Duncan,
for Elspie's sake, is greater than his, no doubt."

"Well, you may be right, Antoine. At all events if I take Fergus with
me I shall send him back before reaching the Settlement, and say nothing
whatever about my reason for going there. `Pressing business,' you
know, will be sufficient."

"I'm not so sure of that," returned Dechamp with a laugh. "Men are apt
to want to know the nature of `pressing business.' However, it may be
as well to take Fergus. At any rate you cannot have Okematan, for he is
not in camp, he left soon after we pitched, and I know has not yet
returned."

"It matters not. Fergus will do better. He is more companionable."

Returning to camp, Dan Davidson made the proposal to Fergus McKay. That
worthy was, as he said, ready for anything, and the two were soon
mounted. They were also well armed, for the risk of meeting a party of
hostile Indians was not altogether out of the question, though
improbable. Each horseman carried his blanket and provision wallet, his
gun, a long knife almost equal to an ancient Roman sword, and a cavalry
pistol--revolvers not having been invented at that time: at least they
had not come into general use. Thus provided for all contingencies,
they set forth.

As we have said, the night was clear and fine, so that the plains were
open to view in all directions, save where a few scattered clumps of
willows and small trees grew like islets in the ocean.

"It iss this that I like better than farming," said Fergus, as the fresh
horses carried them swiftly and lightly over the prairie waves, and down
into the grassy hollows, now swerving to avoid a badger-hole, or
clearing a small shrub with a little bound. "I do think that man wass
intended to live in the