I suspect that the greasy old rascal had some
object in misleading you--I wouldn't put it past him to plan so that you
might be lost up here, when he and some companions just as unscrupulous
as himself, would come on the scene and demand a big sum to get you out
of the scrape. I know of several things he has done as bad as that,"
remarked Owen, with indignation in his voice.

So he began to point out the false lines in the map, and at Cuthbert's
suggestion he erased the pencil lines and made new ones as he went
along, so that at the end of an hour that particular chart was entirely
changed, presenting so new an aspect that the explorer was aroused to
declare that the miserable deceiver, Dubois, would hear something not to
his liking in case they ever met again.

"This Hudson Bay post which you have marked on the river above us--what
is the name it is known by--he did not identify it except as a station?"
asked Cuthbert, putting a finger on the cross.

"Fort Harmony," replied Owen, with a twitch about the corners of his
mouth that seemed to be along the sarcastic order, as if deep down in
his heart the lad thought the name might be a misnomer, according to his
own experience.

"I suppose it is something of a store, being so far up in the
wilderness; and is in charge of--a factor, I believe they call the
boss?" pursued Cuthbert.

"Oh, yes. He is a grizzled old Scotchman, Alexander Gregory by name, who
has been in the employ of the company most of his life, and is known as
their most trusted agent. He is believed to be very rich; but though he
is scrupulously honest and knows how to drive those under him to their
best abilities, he is a harsh, cold-blooded man, seeking no
companionship, making no warm friends, and apparently bent only on
accumulating wealth and doing his full duty to the company he has
served so long a time."

Cuthbert could easily read the strong tinge of bitterness in the other's
voice while he was thus talking, and he knew that whatever Owen's
troubles might be, they were connected in some way with this man of
iron, who for years had ruled after the manner of a despot in this
distant country along the upper branches of the Saskatchewan.

He was glad to know even so much about the man Gregory, whom he found
himself beginning to dislike most cordially, even though he had never as
yet set eye on his grim face, just because he believed the other had
abused Owen in some way.

Owen seemed to rememb