But Katie was to prove the sincerity of her regret in a
practical fashion.

"Where are your friends?" she asked. "Tell me
everything--yes, you can trust me. By the Blessed Virgin,
I swear I will serve you faithfully!" She raised her
great dark tear-stained eyes to Dorothy's.

The girl instinctively felt that Katie was to be trusted.
The only question was, could she count upon her discretion?
She felt that she could do that also; she knew that in
a matter of intrigue the dusky metis have no equals. The
chances were that the others had reached the Fort; if
so, no more harm could be done. Briefly she told Katie
about those who had started out with her to steal through
the rebel lines to the English garrison.

"If Jacques and the women went in the direction you say,"
said Katie, "the chances are they have got to the Fort.
It matters not about the Police and Rory--they can look
after themselves. I doubt, however, if your father and
the sergeant have got through. You will stay in this
house while I go and see. I have many friends among our
people; the hearts of some of them not being entirely
with Riel, they will help me. I shall take Pierre. Pepin
and his mother you need not fear--they are not of the
rebels; they have lived too long at Medicine Hat with
the whites."

And then she went on briefly to explain how Pepin was a