and the executioners of those they love.




V

An hour passed, and then Galbraith and Pierre appeared. Jen noticed that
her father went over to Sergeant Tom and rather anxiously felt his pulse.
Once in the night the old man had come down and done the same thing.
Pierre said something in an undertone. Did they think he was ill? That
was Jon's thought. She watched them closely; but the half-breed knew
that she was watching, and the two said nothing more to each other. But
Pierre said, in a careless way: "It is good he have that sleep. He was
played out, quite."

Jon replied, a secret triumph at her heart: "But what about his orders,
the papers he was to carry to Archangel's Rise? What about his being
back at Fort Desire in the time given him?"

"It is not much matter about the papers. The poor devil that Inspector
Jules would arrest--well, he will get off, perhaps, but that does no one
harm. Eh, Galbraith? The law is sometimes unkind. And as for obeying
orders, why, the prairie is wide, it is a hard ride, horses go wrong;
--a little tale of trouble to Inspector Jules, another at Fort Desire,
and who is to know except Pete Galbraith, Jen Galbraith, and Pierre?
Poor Sergeant Tom. It was good he sleep so."

Jen felt there was irony behind the smooth words of the gambler. He had
a habit of saying things, as they express it in that country, between his