"And besides, there ain't any one can tell I ever wrote those letters," she reassured herself, perhaps mistakenly. "If there's ever any enquiry I'll stick to it that some one just dropped them in the mail-box and I forwarded them as usual. When it comes to her answers they'll all be in Box 17, unopened, and I can say I held them till called for, according to rules. I never referred to them in what I wrote. Just told her to come along and promised her all sorts of things." Again she waited impatiently for an answer, which never came. Instead of it there was a telegram addressed to Hugo Ennis, which was of course received by Follansbee, the station agent, who read it with eyes rather widely opened. He transcribed the message and entrusted it to big Stefan, the Swede, who now carried mail to a few outlying camps. "It's a queer thing, Stefan," commented Joe. "Looks like there's some woman comin' all the way from New York to see yer friend Hugo." "Vell, dat's yoost his own pusiness, I tank," answered the Swede, placidly. "Sure enough, but it's queer, anyways. Did he ever speak of havin' some gal back east?" "If he had it vould still be his own pusiness," asserted Stefan, biting off a chew from a black plug and stowing away the telegram in a coat pocket. Hugo Ennis was his friend. Anything that Hugo did was all right. Folks who had anything to criticize in his conduct were likely to incur Stefan's displeasure. The big fellow's dog-team was ready. At his word they broke the runners out of the snow, barking excitedly, but for the time being they were only driven across the way to the post-office for the mail-bag. Sophy handed the pouch to him, her face none too agreeable. "Dat all vhat dere is for Toumichouan?" asked the man. "Yes, that's all," answered the girl, snappily. "There's a parcel here for Papineau and a letter for Tom Carew's wife. If you see any one going by way of Roaring River tell him to stop there and let 'em know." "You can gif 'em to me, too," said Big Stefan. "I'm goin' dat vay. I got one of dem telegraft tings for Hugo Ennis." Sophy rushed out from behind the counter. "Let me see it!" she said. "No, ma'am," said Stefan, calmly. "It is shut anyvays, de paper is. Follansbee he youst gif it to me. I tank nobotty open dat telegraft now till Hugo he get it."