I shall die here."

"You shall go to Fort Providence. Do that in payment of your debt to me,
Lepage. I demand that." In this transgressor there was a latent spark of
honour, a sense of justice that might have been developed to great
causes, if some strong nature, seeing his weaknesses, had not condoned
them, but had appealed to the natural chivalry of an impressionable,
vain, and weak character. He struggled to meet Hume's eyes, and doing so,
he gained confidence and said: "I will try to live. I will do you
justice--yet."

"Your first duty is to eat and drink. We start for Fort Providence
to-morrow."

The sick man stretched out his hand. "Food! Food!" he said.

In tiny portions food and drink were given to him, and his strength
sensibly increased. The cave was soon aglow with the fire kindled by Late
Carscallen and Cloud-in-the-Sky. There was little speaking, for the sick
man soon fell asleep. Lepage's Indian told Cloud-in-the-Sky the tale of
their march--how the other Indian and the dogs died; how his master
became ill as they were starting towards Fort Providence from Manitou
Mountain in the summer weather; how they turned back and took refuge in
this cave; how month by month they had lived on what would hardly keep a
rabbit alive; and how, at last, his master urged him to press on with his
papers; but he would not, and stayed until this day, when the last bit of
food had been eaten, and they were found.