They all set his status in her mind, told her much of
the history of her rescuers.
"Eh?" he said in surprise again; "you the leader? An' whatlike was the
evil hap that placed ye in among that rabble o' painted beauties, may I
ask? An' how comes a slip of a lass"--he looked her over from head to
heel with his sharp grey eyes; "--well, not so much a slip, still a
colleen--like you wid th' command o' men in this part o' th' world?"
"Of a surety you may ask, M'sieu, and it will be my happiness to tell
you, since but for you and your quick help, given without knowledge, we
should be now in sorry plight.
"The man you saw taken from the canoe is Monsieur Anders McElroy,
Factor of Fort de Seviere on the Assiniboine, and of the Hudson's Bay
Company."
"Faith of me fathers! Say ye so! A man of our own men!"
"Aye. Then you are also of the Company? Good! Surely have we fallen on
the lap of fortune.... Those Indians, Nakonkirhirinons from the far
north and strangers in this country, came to De Seviere to trade. For
two--three dais, maybe more,--I have lost track of time, M'sieu,--they
passed up and down at the trading,--camped on the shoreand all seemed
well, though they were wild and shy as partridges.
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