"It's mortal queer," observed Rory, "that he didn't come
on wid you." He turned and addressed Bastien, who, having
hitched up two teams, seemed in a great hurry to be off.
"Eh, mister, an' what may you be sayin' to it?"

"I tink eet ees time to be what you call depart," was
the reply. "Eet ees mooch dead ze metis will shoot us if
zey come now."

He glanced apprehensively around.

"It's the other man who came with Katie to the place
where they had me prisoner, and who remained behind,"
explained Douglas. "He told me he'd come on."

The half-breed looked surprisedly and incredulously at
the rancher. Dorothy had now joined the group, and was
listening to what was being said.

"_Mon Dieu!_" exclaimed Bastien, "but ees eet possible
that you not know! Katie she haf told all to me. Ze man
you declare of he will no more come back. Ze man who made
of you a preesonar, have to show one on ze morrow, but
eet matter not vich, and dey arrange to show _ze ozer
man!_ He take your place; he mooch good fellow, and zey
shoot him mooch dead to-morrow!"

And all at once the truth--the self-sacrifice that Pasmore
had so quietly carried out--flashed upon them. It was a