"Oh!" she giggled hysterically "he--he must have seen your red coat!"
another spasm of merriment, "it was as good as a pantomime," she murmured.

Evincing a keen interest in his soldierly vocation, for awhile she
subjected him to an exacting and minute inquisition anent the duties and
life of a Mounted Policeman. In this agreeable fashion the time passed
rapidly and it was with a feeling of regret that he heard the brakeman
announce his destination and rose to take leave of his pleasant
companion. The children insisted on bidding their late chum a cuddling,
osculatory farewell--Alice tearfully holding up the snuffling Porkey for
his share. The train drew up at the Davidsburg platform, there came a
chorus of "Good-byes" and a few minutes later George was left alone with
his kit-bags on the deserted platform.




CHAPTER III

_St. Agnes' Eve. Ah! bitter chill it was.
The owl, for all his feathers, was a-cold;
The hare limped, trembling, through the frozen grass;
And drowsy was the flock in woolly fold_.
ST. AGNES' EVE


Edmond did not have to wait long. Sounding faint and far off came the
silvery ring of sleigh-bells, gradually swelling in volume until, with a
measured crunch! crunch! of hoofs on packed snow, a smart Police cutter,
drawn by a splendid bay team, swung around a bend of the trail and pulled