Page:GB Lancaster--law-bringer.djvu/211

Rh But the two stupid Germans and the lunatic who had gone insane from loneliness did to the last inch the work detailed for them to do. They whip-sawed timber for a shack to be built on the adjoining lot. They cleaned stables and re-shingled an outhouse and dug post-holes and stretched a wire-fence along them. There were days when the lunatic desired only to walk through the head of Dick's shadow as it moved over the dusty grass, and Dick had to let him do it; there were days when the bullying wind of the rain, or, worst of all, smoke from the forest-fires which blanketed the hills above Grey Wolf made work a torment. But time drew by at last. Forsyth came down with his witnesses; Jennifer went to Edmonton with Slicker and Mrs. Leigh, and, by Tempest's arrangement, Andree had gone with them. Dick did not speak to Tempest of Andree now, though he had been more than uneasy over a certain matter which occurred on the night when Andree realised that Robison was taken to Fort Saskatchewan for a trial which would mean death. Dick had gone through the back-passage at Grange's that night and had suddenly confronted Moosta. To all appearances Moosta had just come through a storm which had fallen on her apart from her will. She clutched Dick with fat, strong hands, and all her respect for him could not straighten her English.

"Dieu! She mak' hit!" she gasped. "Hit Rosario. An' moi. An' she cry. An' cry. An'  mak' noise—diable noise."

"Who?" demanded Dick, halting.

"S'pose it Andree," said Moosta. "She got devil, me t'ink."

Dick pushed open the door of the back-parlour and walked in. He had never been there before, and its mustiness and smell of smoke and cooking and its low, roughly-beamed ceiling made all dark for the moment. Then he saw Andree on the floor behind Grange's big chair, with her head wound in a tablecloth and wild turmoil about her. Dick pulled the cloth away, and stooped to her. That always suspicious mind of his was interested.

"What's all this, Andree?" he asked. "You have scared Moosta's hair out of its pins."

Andree's eyes met his; soft, wild, and anguish-stricken