e door
at the top of the stairs was pulled slowly open. There was no mistake
this time; someone was stealing down the stairs. The darkness was too
great to allow him to see who it was. There was no escape for him; his
boots were off, and his latch-key was in his pocket. Long before he
could open the door he who was descending would be with him at the
bottom of the stairs. Quickly he pulled a match from his pocket and
struck it. Instantly the dark stairway was made light. The sight he
saw fairly stunned him. Standing in the middle of the stairs was
Narcisse, his canvas valise in one hand and his boots in the other.

"Narcisse!" gasped Charlie.

"Charlie!" cried Narcisse, letting his boots and bag fall. The match
went out. For a few moments there was silence; then Narcisse descended
the remainder of the stairs. Without a word they both pulled on their
boots. They both understood now.

Charlie lit a match while Narcisse unfastened the door. As they
stepped out into the street Narcisse drew Charlie's arm through his.

"De train don't leave for twenty minutes yet," he said calmly, "no
need for hurry; eh, Charlie?"

Charlie halted. "No, no, Narcisse," he said with a little break in
his voice. "She likes you; you must not leave."

Narcisse was big and strong; he drew Charlie's arm again through his,
and again they began slowly to walk toward the station.

"So you try to leave me, Charlie?"

"I could bear that which came between us no longer, Narcisse. Then, I
thought you liked her."

"So you would go, because of friendship for me, Charlie?" They were
walking very close to each other now.

"And why are you here, Narcisse?"

"I know you liked her, Charlie." The great fellow's voice was very
sweet at times.

The weather was clearing. Through great rifts in the clouds, every few
minutes, the moon poured great floods of light.

"The clouds are going away, Narcisse."

"Dat so, Charlie." He looked up at the moon, which at that moment
broke through the clouds again. "And de cloud dat came between me and
you has now gone away, Charlie."

In the distance could be seen the headlight of the approaching
express.

"Yes, all gone, Narcisse; we shall have the camp days over again,
now."

They were just in time to get their tickets to Manitoba and get on
board. They sat up the remainder of the night, and smoked and talked
and made plans for the future. Never once did they speak of _her_,
although she was often in their