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and specious pleadingit would not have been a difficult matter to
have brushed him asidebut he was looking into the blue eyes of
the woman he had for seven years loved more than he loved his life；
and he knew that when his blow fell it would fall upon the face
that； only a few hours ago； had smiled upon him； and upon the lips
that had whispered to him； 〃I will remember； Ranald。〃 Yet he was
none the less resolved。 With face set and bloodless； and eyes of
gleaming fire； he faced the man that represented what was at once
dearest in life and what was most loathsome in conduct。
〃Give me a moment； Mr。 St。 Clair；〃 he said； with a note of
authority in his tone。 〃You have made me an offer of a position
such as I could hardly hope to expect for years to come； but I
value it chiefly because it means you have absolute confidence in
me； you believe in my ability and in my integrity。 I am determined
that you will never have cause to change your opinion of me。 You
are about to complete a deal involving a very large sum of money。
I have a report here；〃 tapping his desk； 〃which you have not yet
seen。〃
〃It really doesn't matter！〃 interjected Mr。 St。 Clair； 〃you see； my
dear fellow〃
〃It matters to me。 It is a report which not only you ought to
have； but which； in justice； the buyer of the Bass River Limits
ought to see。 That report； Mr。 St。 Clair； ought to be given to
Colonel Thorp。〃
〃This is sheer folly；〃 exclaimed Mr。 St。 Clair； impatiently。
〃It is the only honorable course。〃
〃Do you mean to insult me； sir？〃
〃There is only one other thing I would rather not do；〃 said Ranald；
in a grave voice； 〃and that is refuse Colonel Thorp the information
he is entitled to from us。〃
〃Sir！〃 exclaimed Mr。 St。 Clair； 〃this is outrageous； and I demand
an apology or your resignation！〃
〃Colonel Thorp；〃 announced a clerk； opening the door。
〃Tell Colonel Thorp I cannotah； Colonel Thorp； I am glad to see
you。 Will you step this way？〃 opening the door leading to his own
office。
The colonel； a tall； raw…boned； typical 〃Uncle Sam；〃 even to the
chin whisker and quid of tobacco； had an eye like an eagle。 He
shot a keen glance at Mr。 St。 Clair and then at Ranald。
〃Yes；〃 he said； helping himself to a chair； 〃this here's all right。
This is your manager； eh？〃
〃Mr。 Macdonald；〃 said Mr。 St。 Clair； introducing him。
〃How do you do？ Heard about you some；〃 said the colonel； shaking
hands with him。 〃Quite a knocker； I believe。 Well； you rather
look like it。 Used to do some myself。 Been up north； so the boss
says。 Good country； eh？〃
〃Fine sporting country； Colonel；〃 interrupted St。 Clair。 〃The
game； Mr。 Macdonald says； come right into your tent and bed to be
shot。〃
〃Do； eh？〃 The colonel's eagle eye lighted up。 〃Now； what sort of
game？〃
〃Almost every kind； Colonel；〃 replied Ranald。
〃Don't say！ Used to do a little myself。 Moose？〃
〃Yes； I saw a number of moose and any amount of other deer and； of
course； plenty of bear。〃
〃Don't say！ How'd you come to leave them？ Couldn't have done it
myself； by the great Sam！ Open timber？〃
〃Well；〃 replied Ranald； slowly； 〃on the east of the Bass River〃
〃All that north country； Colonel；〃 said Mr。 St。 Clair； 〃is pretty
much the same； I imagine； a little of all kinds。〃
〃Much water； streams； and such？〃
〃Yes； on the west side of the Bass there is plenty of water； a
number of small streams and lakes； but〃
〃Oh； all through that north country； Colonel； you are safe in
having a canoe in your outfit；〃 said Mr。 St。 Clair； again
interrupting Ranald。
〃Lots of water； eh？ Just like Maine； ha； ha！〃 The colonel's quiet
chuckle was good to hear。
〃Reminds me〃here he put his hand into his inside pocket and
pulled out a flask； 〃excuse the glass；〃 he said； offering it to Mr。
St。 Clair； who took a slight sip and handed it back。
〃Have a little refreshment；〃 said the colonel； offering it to
Ranald。
〃I never take it； thank you。〃
〃Don't？ Say； by the great Sam； how'd you get through all that wet
country？ Wall； it will not hurt you to leave it alone；〃 solemnly
winking at St。 Clair； and taking a long pull himself。 〃Good for
the breath；〃 he continued； putting the flask in his pocket。 〃Now；
about those limits of mine； the boss here has been telling you
about our deal？〃
〃A little；〃 said Ranald。
〃We've hardly had time to look into anything yet；〃 said Mr。 St。
Clair； 〃but if you will step into my office； Colonel； I have the
papers and maps there。〃 Mr。 St。 Clair's tone was anxious。 Once
more the colonel shot a glance at him。
〃You have been on the spot； I judge；〃 he said to Ranald； rising and
following Mr。 St。 Clair。
〃Yes； over it all。〃
〃Wall； come along； you're the map we want； eh？ Maps are chiefly
for purposes of deception； I have found； ha； ha！ and there ain't
none of 'em right；〃 and he held the door for Ranald to enter。
Mr。 St。 Clair was evidently annoyed。 Unfolding a map he laid it
out on the table。 〃This is the place； I believe；〃 he said； putting
his finger down upon the map。
〃Ain't surveyed； I judge；〃 said the colonel to Ranald。
〃No； only in part； the old Salter lines are there； but I had to go
away beyond these。〃
〃Warn't 'fraid of gettin' lost； eh？ Ha； ha！ Wall show us your
route。〃
Ranald put his finger on the map； and said： 〃I struck the Bass
River about here； and using that as a base； first explored the
whole west side； for； I should say； about ten miles back from the
river。〃
〃Don't say！ How'd you grub？ Game mostly？〃
〃Well； we carried some pork and Hudson Bay hard tack and tea； and
of course； we could get all the fish and game we wanted。〃
〃Lots of game； eh？ Small and big？〃 The colonel was evidently much
interested in this part of Ranald's story。 〃By the great Sam； must
go up there！〃
〃It would do you all the good in the world； Colonel；〃 said Mr。 St。
Clair； heartily。 〃You must really go up with your men and help
them lay out the ground； you know。〃
〃That's so！ Now if you were lumbering in there； how'd you get the
timber out？〃
〃Down the Bass River to Lake Nipissing；〃 said Ranald； pointing out
the route。
〃Yes； but how'd you get it to the Bass？ These limits； I understand；
lie on both sides of the Bass； don't they？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And the Bass cuts through it the short way？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Wall； does that mean six or eight or ten miles of a haul？〃
〃On the west side；〃 replied Ranald； 〃no。 There are a number of
small streams and lakes which you could utilize。〃
〃And on the east side？〃
〃You see； Colonel；〃 broke in Mr。 St。 Clair； 〃that whole country is
one net…work of water…ways。 Notice the map here； and there are
always a number of lakes not marked。〃
〃That is quite true；〃 said Ranald； 〃as a rule； but on the east
side〃
〃Oh； of course；〃 said Mr。 St。 Clair； hastily； 〃you will find great
differences in different parts of the country。〃
Mr。 St。 Clair folded up the map and threw it on the table。
〃Let's see；〃 said the colonel； taking up the map again。 〃Now how
about the camps； Mr。 Macdonald； where do you locate them？〃
〃I have a rough draught here in which the bases for camps are
indicated；〃 said Ranald； ignoring the imp