"Well, scarcely for the better," returned the girl with a smile. "See, here is the window, and the loose shingle is close to the sill. You won't require to go out on the roof. There is father's tool-box. If you want anything some of us will be in the room below. You may call, or come down." "Stay, Elsie," said the youth, turning abruptly on her. "You say I am changed. Well, perhaps I am. I've gone through pretty severe hardships since we parted, and the injuries I received on gaining _this_ have left their mark." He touched, as he spoke, the splendid bear-claw collar which still graced his neck. "I doubt not you have suffered," returned Elsie, in a softened tone, "but you are now well, or nearly so, and your reason is not a sufficient one to account for your being rude to all your old friends, and taking no interest in anything." "Am I, then, so rude, so callous?" rejoined Ian, drawing his hand across his brow. "Ah! Elsie, if--if--but what am I saying? Forgive me! I think that grizzly must have touched my brain when he had me under his paw. There can be no harm, however, in telling you that a wish, lightly expressed by you long ago, has been the motive power which led to the procuring of this collar. Will you accept it of me now? It is but a trifle, yet, being a bad hunter, and more used to grammars than to guns, it cost me no trifle of anxiety and trouble before I won it. I am afraid that the hope of procuring it for you had almost as much to do with cheering me on as the hope of finding Tony. Nay, don't refuse it, Elsie, from one who has known you so long that he feels almost as if he might regard you as a sister." He took off the collar as he spoke, and, with a return of his wonted heartiness, presented it to Elsie. There was something in his manner, however, which induced her to blush and hesitate. "Your kindness in searching for Tony we can never forget or repay," she said quickly, "and--and--" She paused. "Well, well," continued Ian, a little impatiently; "I did not mean to talk of Tony just now. Surely you won't refuse a gift from so old a friend as I on the eve of my departure for Canada?" "For Canada!" echoed Elsie, in surprise. "Yes. I leave the instant I can get my affairs in Red River settled." "And you return?" "Never!" Elsie looked at the youth in undisguised astonishment. She, too, began to suspect that a claw of the collar must have touched his brain. "But why hesitate?" continued Ian. "Surely you cannot refuse me so simple a favour! Even Lambert himself would approve of it in the circumstances." "Lambert!" exclaimed Elsie, with increasing amazement; "what has Lambert got to do with it?" It was now Ian's turn to look surprised. "Forgive me if I have touched on a forbidden subject; but as every one in the settlement seems to know of your engagement to Lambert, I thought--" "_My_ engagement!" interrupted Elsie. "It is Cora who is engaged to Lambert."