This unfortunate affair has upset me. It has quite disarranged my
plans. We have lost five days here, and I shall be compelled to curtail
my journey. I have decided to cut out the visits to the posts north of
this, and to work across to the Peace River, and so southward."

"You are going back?" cried Ainley in some consternation. "You are
going to leave Miss Yardely----"

"No, my dear fellow," interrupted Sir James, anticipating the
conclusion of his subordinate's sentence. "I am not going to leave her
to her fate. I am going to leave you to find her. I have thought the
matter out very carefully. I shall leave four Indians with you, and
shall establish a camp at this point, so that in the event of Helen
returning here you will not miss her by any chance. I shall send a
messenger to Rodwell, at Fort Malsun, instructing him to send you down
an outfit that will last the winter if necessary, and you will have
_carte blanche_ to follow your own plans, only you must understand,
Ainley, my niece must be found. Even though you have to comb this
country through with a dust-comb she must be found."

"She shall be, Sir James," answered Ainley with conviction.

"It is, of course, just possible that the man with whom your half-breed
saw her was making north to the post at Lobstick Creek, and it will be
as well to make an early inquiry there."

"Yes, Sir James, I have thought of that."

"By the way, did you get any description of the man whom my niece was
with?"

"Yes. You remember that man who was at Fort Malsun, and who departed
quietly one night?"

"You mean that fellow whom you knew at Oxford, and who has since gone
under?"

"That is the man, Sir James; I am convinced of it, from the
half-breed's description."

A look of anxiety came on the great man's face. "A discharged convict,
wasn't he, Ainley?"

"Yes, Sir James. He is of good family, and I fancy he is wealthy, for
he succeeded to the estate whilst he was in prison, and came out here I
imagine, because the old country was impossible to him."

"What was the crime that knocked him out of things?"

"Forgery!"

"Um!" was the reply. "Things might have been worse. Possibly the fellow
will remember that he used to be a gentleman."

"Possibly," agreed the younger man.

"Anyhow, you know exactly who you have to look for and that ought to
make your task much easier. Rodwell will instruct all the Indians who
show up at Fort Malsun to keep a bright look-out and no d