ians are all afraid of him,
so he will suffer no harm. See, give him this from me."

She turned and plucked a little bunch of blue flowers
that grew close at hand, which in the Indian language
signify "Come to me." Then she produced a little brooch
which she had worn at her throat that night she had met
the dwarf, and wrapping both In a small piece of silk,
gave them to the half-breed.

CHAPTER XXII

ANTOINE IN TROUBLE

Four nights later Pepin Quesnelle and his mother were
having their supper in the large common sitting-room,
which also did duty as kitchen and workshop. The tidy,
silver-haired old dame had set out a place for Pepin at
the well-scrubbed table, but the _petit maitre_, much to
her regret, would not sit down at it as was his wont He
insisted on having his supper placed on the long, low
bench, covered with tools and harness, at which he was
working. He had a Government job on hand, and knew that
if he sat down to the table in state, there would be much
good time wasted in useless formality. His mother therefore
brought some bread and a large steaming plate of some
kind of stew, and placed them within reach of his long
arms.

"Pepin," she said, with a hint of fond remonstrance, "it
is not like you to eat so. If any one should happen to
come and catch you, my sweet one, eating like a common
Indian, what would they think? Take care, apple of my
eye, it is ver' hot!"

She hastily put down the steaming bowl, from which a
savoury steam ascended, and Antoine the bear, who was
sitting on his haunches in evident meditation behind the
bench, deliberately looked in another direction. What
mattered the master's dinner to a bear of his high-class
principles!

"Thank you, my mother," said Pepin, without lifting his
eyes, and sewing away with both hands as if for dear
life. "What you say is true, ver' true, but the General
he will want this harness, and the troops go to-morrow
to catch Poundmaker. And, after all, what matters it
where I sit--am I not Pepin Quesnelle?"

Antoine, still looking vacantly in another direction,
moved meditatively nearer the steaming dish. Why had they
not given him his supper? He had been out for quite a
long walk that day, his appetite was excellent.

"Mother," said Pepin again, "that young female Douglas,
who was here some time ago, I wonder where she may be
now? Since then I have been many times think that, after
all, she was, what the soldier-officers call it, not