Part 14 (1/2)

”'Nonsense!' said he 'What is that last total? There see here'

”At that moment one of the helpers cas

”'Red Feather is at the gate,' he said

”'Is he alone?' said McLeod

”'Yes, sir We made sure of that'

”'Fetch him here,' said the factor, calate, and don't let Red Feather hold it open'

”Red Feather was soon brought in He was the chief of the band, an old, crafty Indian, chief in name, but inferior in authority to Buffalo Horn, as chief in fact McLeod continued his work

”'Let us talk,' said Red Feather, at last

”He spoke in his own tongue, which I shall interpret freely for you

McLeod put his pen aside and faced about

”'What have we to talk about?' he asked 'The trading is done You have your supplies There is no business between us'

”'We have the white man to talk about,' said Red Feather 'He has killed a child of our tribe, and you have given hie here He has killed the son of Buffalo Horn with the evil eye He must be put to death'

”'I know this man,' said McLeod 'He has not the evil eye He has killed no iven up'

”'His life is forfeit to the tribe'

”'His life is inI have said that he shall not lose it Am I the man to break my word?'

”'You have kept your word between us,' said Red Feather 'You are not the man to break your word'

”'What business, then, lies between us? Our talk is done'

”The guard at the gate interrupted 'There is a ate,' he said

”'It is my brother,' said Red Feather 'He coate,' said McLeod

”It was growing dark I ith the guard to admit the brother of Red Feather Dusk had fallen over the clearing The sky was overcast; in half an hour it would be deep night, the clearing one with the forest But we opened the gate A tall Indian stalked in He was alone, and I knew him for the brother of Red Feather I followed hi sure first that the bar was in place

”'Let us have the white man,' he said to McLeod 'Let the peace between us continue'

”McLeod perceived the threat He was not a rash ht of surrendering the refugee

As for me, my trust was in the stockade