"But it seems to me as if we'd ought to investigate this thing a little," ventured Prouty. "We ain't got anythin' here but this 'ere young 'ooman's word for what's happened. She can tell us how it came about, anyways, seems to me, and we can judge if it sounds sensible and correct like." "That's right," put in Kilrea. "That's fair and proper." "I am perfectly willing to tell you all I know about it," asserted Madge, quietly. "I--I came here to see Mr. Ennis on a matter that--that concerns us only. And I had occasion to open my bag. Among the things in it there was a revolver. It fell out of my hands and exploded, and--and the bullet struck him. I--I never knew that he had been shot. He never even told me, and then he hitched the dog to the sleigh and took me over to Mrs. Papineau's, where I have been staying. And it was she who discovered that he had been injured. She'll tell you so herself if you go to her. And--and he told her it was an accident, as he would tell you now if--if he wasn't dying." "You'd fixed it up to spend the night at Papineau's?" asked Mrs. Kilrea, who had hitherto kept somewhat in the background. "That was the arrangement we had made," answered the girl. "There was no other place where I could stay. But I'd have gone up there alone if I'd known how badly he was hurt. I've stayed with them ever since, of course, for there was no one to take me back. Mr. Papineau hadn't returned. He was trapping." "I don't see but what she must be tellin' the truth," opined Mrs. Kilrea. "There ain't anything wrong or improper in all this, savin' a girl handlin' a revolver, which ain't wise. We can go over to Papineau's and make sure it's just as she says." "But there's one thing ain't clear," said Pat Kilrea. "What business did she come on, anyways?" Madge drew herself up and looked at him calmly. "I've already told you that this concerns Mr. Ennis and myself," she told him, "and I deny that you have any right...." Just then there was a roar from the tote-road as big Stefan, lashing his dogs, bumped down the path at a wild gallop and, a minute later, threw himself off the sled and was among them. "How do, peoples?" he shouted, advancing truculently towards Pat and Mclntosh. "Papineau telt me as how Hugo he get hurted bad and sick. And he say you peoples ask him whole lot qvestions about him. I vant to know vhat all you is doin' here, und--und if I ain't satisfied I take some of you and--and vipe up de ground vid you, hear me!" His manner was ominously calm, but his words sent a shiver through the crowd. He was and looked a tremendous figure. He had moved to the side of the girl, as if to defend her, and his clear blue eyes went searchingly from one man to the next.