"Yes, Val was quite foolish, you see. If he had killed a white man--
Pretty Pierre, for instance--well, there would have been a show of
arrest, but he could escape. It was an Injin. The Government cherish
the Injin much in these days. The redskin must be protected. It must be
shown that at Ottawa there is justice. That is droll--quite. Eh, bien!
Val will not try to escape. He waits too long-near twenty-four hours.
Then, it is as you see. . . . You have not told her?" He nodded
towards the door of the sittingroom.

"Nothing. It'll come on Jen soon enough if he doesn't get away, and bad
enough if he does, and can't come back to us. She's fond of him--as fond
of him as a mother. Always was wiser than our Val or me, Jen was. More
sense than a judge, and proud but not too proud, Pierre--not too proud.
She knows the right thing to do, like the Scriptures; and she does it
too. . . . Where did you say he was hid?"

"In the Hollow at Soldier's Knee. He stayed too long at Moose Horn.
Injins carried the news on to Fort Desire. When Val started south for
the Border other Injins followed, and when a halt was made at Soldier's
Knee they pushed across country over to Fort Desire. You see, Val's
horse give out. I rode with him so far. My horse too was broke up.
What was to be done? Well, I knew a ranchman not far from Soldier's
Knee. I told Val to sleep, and I would go on and get the ranchman to
send him a horse, while I come on to you. Then he could push on to the
Border. I saw the ranchman, and he swore to send a horse to Val
to-night. He will keep his word. He knows Val. That was at noon to-
day, and I am here, you see, and you know all. The danger? Ah, my
friend,--the Police Barracks at Archangel's Rise! If word is sent down
there from Fort Desire before Val passes, they will have out a big