living more
wretched than myself. I thought I had become resigned to the loss of
Flora, but now I knew that it was a delusion. I could not contemplate
her approaching marriage without grief and heartburning--without a mad
desire to dare the worst and claim the girl as my own.

The dogs and sledges were going to the stable, and the travelers, still
hemmed in by a crowd, were moving toward the factor's house. Griffith
Hawke caught sight of me, and made a gesture; but I pretended not to see
him, and turning on my heel, I strode away to a far corner of the yard.

An hour of solitude put me in a calmer frame of mind--outwardly, at
least. The supper horn drew me to quarters. I had little appetite, but I
made a pretense of eating, and tried to answer cheerfully the remarks
that my comrades addressed to me.

By listening I learned much of interest. The men kept up a ceaseless
chatter and discussion, and the sole topic of conversation was the
arrival of Christopher Burley and the priest. The travelers, it
appeared, had come together from Fort York--where all was quiet at the
time of their departure--and by the same roundabout road our party had
traversed some days before. Strange to say they had encountered no
Indians, either on the way or when near the fort, and for this the men
had two explanations. A part asserted that the redskins had moved off in
the direction of Fort York, while others were of the opinion that they
had purposely let the travelers enter unmolested in order to deceive our
garrison.

The discussion waxed so hot that no reference was made to the motive of
the priest's visit, for which I was heartily thankful. I was anxious to
get away from the noise and the light, and as soon as I had finished my
supper I rose. Just then Andrew Menzies, a non-commissioned officer of
the company, entered the room.

"Carew!" he called out; "the factor wants to see you when you can spare
the time."

"All right; I'll go over to the house presently," and lighting my pipe,
I sauntered out of the quarters.

Why the factor wanted me I could not readily conceive, unless it was for
some detail connected with his marriage. There were several things that
I wished to turn over in my mind before presenting myself to Griffith
Hawke, where I would be likely to meet Flora.

A sound of low voices at the gates, and the rattle of a bolt, drew me
first in that direction. A little group of men were standing at the
loopholes, peering out.