y Jacques
making good his escape, but Pasmore was not to know that.

To the sergeant the uncertainty was painful. Could the
rancher and his daughter have been delayed until they
had been detected by some vigilant rebels? The idea was
terrible. But he noted that the grey wintry dawn was fast
creeping over the snow-bound earth, and he concluded that
the fugitives must have got through some considerable
time before.

The firing ceased, and at last the thoroughly tired-out
man laid himself down on some old sacking, and fell fast
asleep.

It was broad daylight when he was awakened by a kick from
a moccasined foot.

"Ho, thar!" cried some one. "Git up and be shot!"

The speaker did not repeat the kick, as he took good care
to stand well to one side when the sleeper awoke.

Then the present, with all its lurid horror, crashed down
upon the soul of Pasmore. He was to be shot--yes, but
his heart glowed within him when he thought of Dorothy,
for whom he had made this sacrifice!

He rose to his feet There was a group of dirty, bleary-eyed
breeds and Indians standing within the doorway. One or
two who had known him before looked on sulkily and
silently, for they knew that while he was a man whose
hand was iron and whose will was indomitable in the
carrying out of the law, he had ever a kindly word and
a helping hand for such as needed help. Those who only
knew him by the power he represented in the law, openly
jeered and crowed over this big "shermoganish" whom now
they had fairly in their grasp, and whom they must destroy
if the metis were to own and govern the land. They also,
however, kept well away from him, for had they not heard
how he had taken three bad Indians single-handed on the
Eagle Hills by wounding them in turn, and then driving
them before him, on foot, like sheep, into the Fort?

The sun was shining brightly down on the scene of rapine
and lawlessness, which looked peaceful and fair enough,
in all truth, robed as it was in its snow-white vestments.
Only here and there a heap of black and smouldering ruins
spoke of the horrors of the previous night. From the
scattered houses on the flat, wreaths of smoke were rising
right cheerily into the sharp, clear air. Breeds and
Indians, men, women, and children, were moving about
everywhere, carrying with them, for purposes of display,
their ill-gotten goods. Some of the lounging figures at
the door even had resplendent new sashes, and odd-looking
articles t