The short day had almost ended when he had completed these tasks, and he was about to enter the cabin, when through the dusk he caught sight of a figure, standing among the trees openly watching him. The garb proclaimed the figure to be that of a woman, and for a moment he was utterly startled. Then, acting on impulse, he started to walk towards the watcher, his unmittened hand on the butt of the pistol at his hip.
CHAPTER XVII
THE ATTACK
The watching woman made no attempt to escape, but somewhat to Stane's surprise, awaited his coming. As he drew nearer he was again startled to find that it was the girl whom he had talked with at Fort Malsun.
"Miskodeed," he cried in surprise. "You! What are you doing here?"
"I come to warn thee," said the girl in her own dialect. "Once before I did that, and I was too late. But now I am in time."
"To warn me?" he echoed, still too surprised to say more.
"Yes," answered Miskodeed. "There are those who will seek to kill thee tonight."