Again the man laughed; there was no need for concealment now. "Me,
Vermilion, I'm know de good plac' back in de hills. We go for stay
dere till you pay de money."

"Money? What money?"

"Un hondre t'ousan' dollaire--cash! You pay, Vermilion--he tak' you
back. You no pay--" The man shrugged significantly.

The girl stared, dumbfounded. "What do you mean? One hundred thousand
dollars! Are you crazy?"

The man stepped close, his eyes gleaming wickedly. "You reech. You
pay un hondre t'ousan' dollaire, or, ba gar, you nevaire com' out de
bush!"

Chloe laughed in derision. "Oh! I am kidnapped! Is that it? How
romantic!" The man scowled. "Don't be a fool, Vermilion! Do you
suppose I came into this country with a hundred thousand dollars in
cash--or even a tenth of that amount?"

The man shrugged indifferently. "_Non_, but you mak' de write on de
papaire, an' Menard, he tak' heem to de bank--Edmonton--Preence Albert.
He git de money. By-m-by, two mont', me'be, he com' back. Den,
Vermilion, he tak' you close to de H.B. post--_bien_! You kin go hom',
an' Vermilion, he go ver' far away."

Chloe suddenly realized that the man was in earnest. Her eyes flashed
over the swarthy, villainous faces of the scowmen, and the seriousness
of the situation dawned upon her. She knew, now, that the separating