tion, as when left to herself she would have
fled to the moose-hide tent.

The party drew nearer. Stane was conscious of its attention, and the
blood in Miskodeed's face came and went in a manner that was almost
painful. Any one looking at them, and noting the apparent absorption of
the man and the certain embarrassment of the girl, must have utterly
miscomprehended the situation, and that was what happened, for a moment
later, the sound of a laughing feminine voice reached him.

"Behold an idyll of the land!"

He looked up with an angry light in his blue eyes. The party was just
passing, and nearly every pair of eyes was regarding him curiously. And
one pair, the grey eyes of the girl who had been with Ainley, met his
in level glance, and in them he saw a flicker of contempt. That glance
sent the blood to his face, and increased the anger which had surged
within him at the laughing remark he had overheard. Ainley was among
these people, and come what might he would have speech with him before
them all. He stepped forward determinedly; but Ainley, who had been
watching him closely, anticipated his move by falling out of the group.

"Don't be a fool, Stane! You'll do yourself no good by kicking up a
dust here. I couldn't come last night, but tonight at the same time I
will not fail."

He turned and moved on again before Stane could reply, and as he joined
the English girl, the latter inquired in a surprised voice, "You know
that gentleman, Mr. Ainley?"

Stane caught the question, but the answer he did not hear, though he
could guess its purport and found no pleasure at the thought of what it
would be. Consumed with wrath and shame he went his way to his own
camp, and seeking relief from intolerable thoughts busied himself with
preparations for a start on the morrow, then schooled himself to wait
as best he could, through the long hours before Ainley's appointed
time.

Again the midnight sun found him sitting behind his smoke-smudge,
waiting, listening. All the songs and cries of the wild faded into
silence and still Ainley had not come. Then he caught the sound of
light feet running, and looking up he saw Miskodeed hurrying towards
him between the willows. Wondering what had brought her forth at this
hour he started to his feet and in that instant he saw a swift look of
apprehension and agony leap to her face.

"Beware, my brother----"

He heard no more. A man rose like a shadow by his side, with lifted
hand