Part 4 (2/2)

”Why not keep hiested an old buck; only to be cried down loudly as a doddering dotard, whose blood had turned to water

”What?” one shouted, wrathfully ”Have another mouth to feed all winter, while the owner of it stays idle? Never! Anyone that eats with us uis sat with his chin in his hand,

Then, he ordered Donald's captors to take their prisoner back to the little roo:

”I have a plan in mind, which we ” He turned to the Hudson Bay ht, sir, whatever it is”

Without answer, Donald wheeled, and walked away in the couards to the rooain he was left in solitary confinement

CHAPTER V

DEATH TRAIL

It was, perhaps, an hour later when Donald, just beginning to drowse before his little fire, heard someone approach and unlock his door, for the second tiency, the captive sprang to his feet, and retreated to a corner of the roo ary eyes for his visitor's appearance

”Who is it?” he de open

”It's uis,” was the reply, in the voice of the half-breed Even in this ly the mellow cadences in the voice of this uis had entered the room, and he now shut the door behind hiestion of softness in his tones, though there was no lack of firmness ”I wish to talk friendly for half an hour Will you sit with uis,” retorted Donald, bluntly ”If you have been delegated by lot to kill me, do it at once That would be the only possible kindliness fro I am unarmed--as you know”

The half-breed shook his head slowly, as though inthat his intentions should be thus questioned

”I don't conity

”I've given you my word that I co me”

Donald uttered an ejaculation of impatience

”Absurd!” he exclaimed ”Why should I attack you?” For the instant, in realization of his own plight, he had forgotten that the original purpose of his quest had been the capture of this man as now become his captor But the half-breed's words recalled the fact forcibly enough

”Don't you suppose, captain, that I've known you were on my trail for days? I have the sense to know that But what brought you veering off the trail to Sturgeon Lake is beyond h of relief At least, Jean's e was unknown to the leader of the free-traders, and there would be no risk of the girl's suffering in person for her loyal zeal In this relief, his thoughts reverted curiously to the crie

”Did you kill Cree Johnny?” he demanded, abruptly

The face of the half-breed re about that,” was the crisp reply ”Let's talk of what is more important now, and that is yourself--and what's to becoly It wounded his self-esteee the interview at pleasure Yet, even while his anger h, the Scotchman felt himself compelled to an involuntary admiration for the authoritative composure in the manner of one who, by the accident of birth, was no better than a barbarian--was, indeed, so of the civilized blood with the savage is usually a disastrous thing This was the Hudson Bay nity visited on himself, and, for that reason, he felt a double humiliation over the seriousness of his situation

Exasperation grew in him over the fact that even now his many and varied emotions did not include in the least such repulsion as he had iined a tete-a-tete with a murderer must produce On the contrary, he are of an indefinable air of genuineness, of nobility even, about this Montagnais Englishman It was incredible, surely--none the less, it was true Donald's instinct set hi involuntarily whether, after all, the ed His reason rallied to argument that this felloas of a vicious strain, capable of any treachery, of any cowardly violence In such as Seguis, the vices of two races blend, for vice knows little distinction of tribe or creed; the then the violence in each The virtues, on the contrary, are reat part--to each race its own They are prone to vanishi+ng in the rades hie woet nothing good

Such reasoning is sound enough, in the main, as Donald, despite his bewilderment, kneell Nevertheless, in this instance the product of enation seemed to offer in his own person a subtle contradiction The man stood in a serenity that proclaih cheekbones were glowing clearly, as they stared in level interrogation on the prisoner The features, coarse, yet of a pleasing harth that was at once calm and masterful