Page:GB Lancaster--law-bringer.djvu/371

Rh a heavy frown. Suddenly he felt that Tempest was watching him, and he swung round, reddening angrily. Each day it became harder to meet the light in those unconquered eyes.

"You've had a hard day," said Tempest. "But everything is fixed now, isn't it?"

"Why, yes. I could only get four dogs for each team, and they're a mangy lot. Mongrel curs, most of 'em; one or two huskies, and a Mackenzie hound. He'll pull like a bullock if the huskies don't kill him. They'll try. It's not going to be a good trip. Snow isn't fit. But Myers and I are in splendid fettle, and Ducane has picked up a lot. We have a breed too, as far as Split Lake. Couldn't persuade him to come further. He's in for the trapping."

Tempest asked several questions more, and then came silence again. Across the passage the men of Fort Churchill detachment were laughing uproariously in the mess-room. Here, in Hellier's private room, these two men of the little northern patrol sat without speech. Dick was searching for words, but he could not find them. Twice in his life he had set out to save a brother's soul and each time he had cut his own fingers to the bone instead. Then Tempest said:

"You still have that paper of Robison's?"

"Certainly."

"You will give it in to the Commissioner at Regina?"

"Certainly."

Dick jerked out his pouch and proceeded to refill his pipe, sitting astride a chair. His manner could not have been more brutally indifferent, and yet he had never so deeply longed to tell Tempest how much he cared for him.

"Why wouldn't you give it to me when I asked you?"

"I didn't intend that you should destroy it."

"Ah!" It was a quick note of surprise. "You thought I meant that?"

"What else should I think?" Dick twisted the chair, looking with resentful eyes. "I consider you acted like it."

"I had not thought of your suspecting that," said Tempest with sudden haughtiness. "You might naturally