and go forth on them. The old snow-shoes had only toe-straps and no
other strings, and the feat of walking securely upon seemed almost as
difficult to the young Englishman as walking on the sea of frozen atoms
without them; but still, the fact that the visitor wore them made him
seem more companionable.

Trenholme supposed that the traveller was seeking some dwelling-place,
and that he would naturally turn either up the road to Turrifs or toward
the hills; instead of that, he made again for the birch wood, walking
fast with strong, elastic stride. Trenholme followed him, and they went
across acres of billowy snow.




CHAPTER II.


Why Alec Trenholme followed the old man toward the wood he himself would
have found it a little difficult to tell. If this was really Cameron he
did not wish that he should escape; but, at the same time, he saw no
means of keeping him against his will, unless he went of his own accord
to some place where other men could be called to help. Quite apart,
however, from the question whether the stranger was Cameron or not,
Trenholme felt for him a sort of respect which character alone inspires,
and which character written in a man's appearance has often power to
inspire without a word or action to interpret it further. It was because
of this that curiosity to know where he was going and what for, and a
real solicitude as to what would happen to him, were strong enough to
lead the young man on.