nk Bill took those bonds?" he asked.

"No. She does not. Even with everything else against him, she cannot
bring herself to believe that he is a thief."

"Do _you_ think he took them?"

"Why--I--I don't know," she hesitated.

"Do you _think_ he took them?"

The little woman looked into her husband's eyes as she purposely
delayed her reply.

"No," she said at length. "I do not. But his own father accused him."

Appleton leaned forward in his chair and brought his fist down upon the
desk-top.

"I don't give a damn _who_ accused him!" he cried. "That boy never
stole a bond, or any other thing, and I'll stake my last cent on it!"

"Oh, it isn't the bonds. Ethel does not believe he stole them. But--the
other--you heard what the guide said--and Ethel heard it. She never
_can_ get over _that_! He may be honest--but he is a perfect
_villain_!"

"Hold on, now. Let's go easy. Maybe it isn't so bad as it sounds."

"Not so bad! Hubert Appleton, do you mean to tell me that you would,
for a minute, think of allowing your niece to _marry_ such a man?"

Appleton smiled into the outraged eyes of his wife.

"Yup. I think I would," he replied, and then hastened to add:

"Wait here and I will fetch Blood River Jack. He may have told more
than he knows, or he may not have told all he knows. When you come to
think of it, from what he _did_ tell, we only jumped at conclusions."

He hurried from the office, returning a few minutes later with the
half-breed, who seated himself and lighted the proffered cigar with
evident enjoyment.

"Now, Jack," Appleton began, speaking with his accustomed brevity,
"tell us about Monsieur Bill and this sister of yours. Did you say he
was going to marry her?"

The guide looked from one to the other as if silently taking their
measure. Finally he seemed satisfied.

"No," he said gravely, "he will not marry Jeanne."

The lumberman cleared his throat and waited while the man looked out
upon the whirling snow, for well he knew that the half-breed must be
allowed to take his own time--he could not be "pumped." And Mrs.
Appleton, taking her cue from her husband, curbed her impatience, and
waited with apparent unconcern.

"It is," the guide began, as if carefully weighing his words, "that you
are the good friends of M's'u' Bill. Also I have seen that you know the
men of the logs.

"Wa-ha-ta-na-ta, my mother, who is old and very wise, knows the men of
the logs, and, knowing them, hated M's'u'