MacNair was known as a man of few words, but Ripley wondered at the ominous silence with which his every attempt at conversation was met. During the whole seventeen days of the snow-trail, MacNair scarcely addressed a word to him—seemed almost oblivious to his presence.
Upon the last day, with the log buildings of Fort Resolution in sight, MacNair suddenly halted the dogs and faced Corporal Ripley.
"Well, what's your program?" he asked shortly.
"My program," returned the other, "is to arrest Pierre Lapierre,"
"How are you going to do it?"
"I've got to locate him first, the details will work out later. I've been counting a lot on your help and judgment in the matter."
"Don't do it!" snapped MacNair.
The other gazed at him in astonishment.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that I'm not going to help you arrest Lapierre. He's mine! I have sworn to get him, and, by God, I will get him! From now on we are working against each other."