at any rate, he'd be there at the battle. Well, divils betide me! I got
off the track again; and lost a day; but here I am; and there's me story
to take or lave as you will."

Shon paused and began to fumble with the cards on the table before him,
looking the while at the others.

The Chief Factor was the first to speak. "I don't doubt but he told you
true about the White Hands and the Golden Dogs," he said; "for there's
been war and bad blood between them beyond the memory of man--at least
since the time that the Mighty Men lived, from which these date their
history. But there's nothing to be done to-night; for if we tell old
Wind Driver, there'll be no sleeping at the Fort. So we'll let the thing
stand."

"You believe all this poppy-cock, Chief?" said Lazenby to the Factor,
but laughing in Shon's face the while. The Factor gravely replied:
"I knew of the Tall Master years ago on the Far-Off Metal River; and
though I never saw him I can believe these things--and more. You do not
know this world through and through, Lazenby; you have much to learn."

Pierre said nothing. He took the cards from Shon and passed them to and
fro in his hand. Mechanically he dealt them out, and as mechanically
they took them up and in silence began to play.

The next day there was commotion and excitement at Fort Luke. The Golden
Dogs were making preparations for the battle. Pow-wow followed pow-wow,
and paint and feathers followed all. The H. B. C. people had little to
do but look to their guns and house everything within the walls of the
Fort.