, the snow had ceased falling. Before Courthope had
finished his luncheon the young man who looked like a notary's clerk
came in, using his broken English. He remarked that the storm was over
and that they were now going to get out a double team to plough through
the road. He suggested that Courthope should help him to drive it, and
to transport the prisoner to the gaol in the village. One man must be
left to protect the young ladies and the house; one man must help him
with the team and its burden. The speaker shrugged his shoulders,
suggesting that it would be more suitable for Morin to remain, and said
that for his part he would be much obliged and honoured if Courthope
would accompany him. Here some plain and easy compliments were thrown in
about Courthope's strength and the generous activity he had displayed,
but not a word concerning his temporary disgrace; if this man knew of it
he did not regard it as of any importance.

He was a matter-of-fact young man, not much interested in Courthope as a
stranger, immensely interested in the fact of the theft and all that
concerned it. At the slightest question he poured out excited
information. Xavier had been a servant in the house. Mrs. King, who was
religious and zealous, had found in him a convert. He had become a
Protestant to please her. (At this point the narrator shrugged his
shoulders again.) Then Xavier had asked higher wages; upon that there
was a quarrel, and he had left.

The speaker's scanty English was of the simplest. He said, 'Xavier is a
very bad man, much worse than our people usually are. This winter he
went to the city and got his wits sharpened, and when he came back he
made a scheme. He sent word to Mrs. King that his old father was dying
and would like to be converted too. Mrs. King travels at once with a
horse and the strongest servant-man. The old father takes a long time to
die, so Xavier comes here yesterday to say she will stay all night; but
when he did not come back, his wife she got frightened, and she told
that the old man was not going to die, that she was afraid there was a
scheme. Now we have Xavier very safe. He may get five years.'

Upon Courthope's inquiring after the health of the thief, he was told
that beyond being severely frost-bitten he was little the worse. He was
again drunk with the stimulants that the Morins had poured down his
throat. The visitor ended the interview by saying that if Courthope
would be good enough to driv