the sufficiently damning evidence of the cache. He realized that he
faced a battle with men who would not scruple to lie when the stark
facts already looked badly enough.

"They never were truthful people, my son. We have hoped and prayed for
your coming to clear up the mystery."

Jean put Fleur in the stockade and returned to the house. Julie Breton
stood in the doorway.

"Welcome home, Jean!" she cried in French, giving him both hands.
"Why--you are not thin!" She looked wonderingly at his face. "We
thought--you also--had starved." Her eyes filled with tears as she gazed
at the man already numbered with the dead.

Swept by conflicting emotions, Marcel swallowed hard. Were these
sisterly tears of joy at his safe return or did she weep for the Jean
Marcel she once knew, now dishonored?

"There, there! _Ma petite!_" consoled Pere Henri, stroking the dark
head. "We have Jean here again, safe; all will be well in time."

"Julie had you starved out in the 'bush,' Jean, when we heard their
story," explained the priest.

But the puzzled youth wondered why Pere Henri did not mention the
charges that the half-breeds must have made on reaching Whale River.

Recovering her self-control Julie excused herself to prepare supper.
Then before asking what the Lelacs had told the factor, Marcel related
to the priest the grim details of the winter on the Ghost; of the
deaths of Antoine and Piquet, of his fortunate meeting with the
returning caribou, and of his discovery, on his return to the old camp,
of the visit of the Lelacs' canoe.

"Father, it looks bad for me. They found Antoine stabbed and Piquet's
fur and outfit. I brought his rifle back to the camp and cached it with
his stuff and Antoine's to bring it all down river in the spring to
their people."

At this the heavy brows of the priest lifted in surprise. Marcel
continued:

"The cache was empty. It was a starvation camp. Antoine was dead, and
Piquet also, for his outfit was there. Seeing these things, what could
anyone think? That the third man, Jean Marcel, did this and then went
into the barrens for caribou. There he starved out, or else found meat
and would return, when he could clear himself if able. Father, it was my
wish to tell you my story before I heard the tale the Lelacs brought to
the post. Then you could judge between us."

The priest leaned forward in his chair and rested his hands on Marcel's
shoulders. His eyes sought those of the younger man whi