"But——" began Stane, and broke off as the girl lifted her hand.
"Chief George has seen the rifles, and the burning water, the box of tea and the bale of blankets, and his soul is hungry for them. He would kill more than thee to win them."
"And the—the man who is with me?"
A little flash came in the girl's dark eyes. "That man——" she said in a voice that had an edge like a knife, "tell me, is she thy squaw?"
"Then you know, Miskodeed?" he said, with a quick feeling of shame.
"I know that man is the bright-faced woman who came to Fort Malsun. Tell me, is she thy squaw?"
"No?" he answered sharply. "No!"
"Then what does she in thy lodge?"
"That is due to an accident. She drifted down to the great river, and I saved her from the water, and started to take her back to Fort Malsun. Our canoe was stolen in the night, and when we took the land-trail my leg was broken and we were delayed, and by the time I was fit for travel, winter was upon us, so we sought the cabin to wait for help. That is the explanation, and now tell me, Miskodeed, is the woman to die?"
"The bright-faced one is to be saved alive."