was　successful　in　reducing　the　blankets　to　two　hundred　and　in
  cutting　out　the　place　by　the　firean　unheard…of　condition　in　the
  marriages　of　white　men　with　the　daughters　of　the　soil。　　In　the　end；
  after　three　hours　more　of　chaffering；　they　came　to　an　agreement。
  For　Lit…lit　Snettishane　was　to　receive　one　hundred　blankets；　five
  pounds　of　tobacco；　three　guns；　and　a　bottle　of　rum；　goodwill　and
  best　offices　included；　which　according　to　John　Fox；　was　ten
  blankets　and　a　gun　more　than　she　was　worth。　　And　as　he　went　home
  through　the　wee　sma'　hours；　the　three…o'clock　sun　blazing　in　the
  due　north…east；　he　was　unpleasantly　aware　that　Snettishane　had
  bested　him　over　the　bargain。
  Snettishane；　tired　and　victorious；　sought　his　bed；　and　discovered
  Lit…lit　before　she　could　escape　from　the　lodge。
  He　grunted　knowingly：　　〃Thou　hast　seen。　　Thou　has　heard。　　Wherefore
  it　be　plain　to　thee　thy　father's　very　great　wisdom　and
  understanding。　　I　have　made　for　thee　a　great　match。　　Heed　my　words
  and　walk　in　the　way　of　my　words；　go　when　I　say　go；　come　when　I　bid
  thee　come；　and　we　shall　grow　fat　with　the　wealth　of　this　big　white
  man　who　is　a　fool　according　to　his　bigness。〃
  The　next　day　no　trading　was　done　at　the　store。　　The　Factor　opened
  whisky　before　breakfast；　to　the　delight　of　McLean　and　McTavish；
  gave　his　dogs　double　rations；　and　wore　his　best　moccasins。　　Outside
  the　Fort　preparations　were　under　way　for　a　POTLATCH。　　Potlatch
  means　〃a　giving；〃　and　John　Fox's　intention　was　to　signalize　his
  marriage　with　Lit…lit　by　a　potlatch　as　generous　as　she　was　good…
  looking。　　In　the　afternoon　the　whole　tribe　gathered　to　the　feast。
  Men；　women；　children；　and　dogs　gorged　to　repletion；　nor　was　there
  one　person；　even　among　the　chance　visitors　and　stray　hunters　from
  other　tribes；　who　failed　to　receive　some　token　of　the　bridegroom's
  largess。
  Lit…lit；　tearfully　shy　and　frightened；　was　bedecked　by　her　bearded
  husband　with　a　new　calico　dress；　splendidly　beaded　moccasins；　a
  gorgeous　silk　handkerchief　over　her　raven　hair；　a　purple　scarf
  about　her　throat；　brass　ear…rings　and　finger…rings；　and　a　whole
  pint　of　pinchbeck　jewellery；　including　a　Waterbury　watch。
  Snettishane　could　scarce　contain　himself　at　the　spectacle；　but
  watching　his　chance　drew　her　aside　from　the　feast。
  〃Not　this　night；　nor　the　next　night；〃　he　began　ponderously；　〃but　in
  the　nights　to　come；　when　I　shall　call　like　a　raven　by　the　river
  bank；　it　is　for　thee　to　rise　up　from　thy　big　husband；　who　is　a
  fool；　and　come　to　me。
  〃Nay；　nay；〃　he　went　on　hastily；　at　sight　of　the　dismay　in　her　face
  at　turning　her　back　upon　her　wonderful　new　life。　　〃For　no　sooner
  shall　this　happen　than　thy　big　husband；　who　is　a　fool；　will　come
  wailing　to　my　lodge。　　Then　it　is　for　thee　to　wail　likewise；
  claiming　that　this　thing　is　not　well；　and　that　the　other　thing　thou
  dost　not　like；　and　that　to　be　the　wife　of　the　Factor　is　more　than
  thou　didst　bargain　for；　only　wilt　thou　be　content　with　more
  blankets；　and　more　tobacco；　and　more　wealth　of　various　sorts　for
  thy　poor　old　father；　Snettishane。　　Remember　well；　when　I　call　in
  the　night；　like　a　raven；　from　the　river　bank。〃
  Lit…lit　nodded；　for　to　disobey　her　father　was　a　peril　she　knew
  well；　and；　furthermore；　it　was　a　little　thing　he　asked；　a　short
  separation　from　the　Factor；　who　would　know　only　greater　gladness　at
  having　her　back。　　She　returned　to　the　feast；　and；　midnight　being
  well　at　hand；　the　Factor　sought　her　out　and　led　her　away　to　the
  Fort　amid　joking　and　outcry；　in　which　the　squaws　were　especially
  conspicuous。
  Lit…lit　quickly　found　that　married　life　with　the　head…man　of　a　fort
  was　even　better　than　she　had　dreamed。　　No　longer　did　she　have　to
  fetch　wood　and　water　and　wait　hand　and　foot　upon　cantankerous
  menfolk。　　For　the　first　time　in　her　life　she　could　lie　abed　till
  breakfast　was　on　the　table。　　And　what　a　bed！clean　and　soft；　and
  comfortable　as　no　bed　she　had　ever　known。　　And　such　food！　　Flour；
  cooked　into　biscuits；　hot…cakes　and　bread；　three　times　a　day　and
  every　day；　and　all　one　wanted！　　Such　prodigality　was　hardly
  believable。
  To　add　to　her　contentment；　the　Factor　was　cunningly　kind。　　He　had
  buried　one　wife；　and　he　knew　how　to　drive　with　a　slack　rein　that
  went　firm　only　on　occasion；　and　then　went　very　firm。　　〃Lit…lit　is
  boss　of　this　place；〃　he　announced　significantly　at　the　table　the
  morning　after　the　wedding。　　〃What　she　says　goes。　　Understand？〃　　And
  McLean　and　McTavish　understood。　　Also；　they　knew　that　the　Factor
  had　a　heavy　hand。
  But　Lit…lit　did　not　take　advantage。　　Taking　a　leaf　from　the　book　of
  her　husband；　she　at　once　assumed　charge　of　his　own　growing　sons；
  giving　them　added　comforts　and　a　measure　of　freedom　like　to　that
  which　he　gave　her。　　The　two　sons　were　loud　in　the　praise　of　their
  new　mother；　McLean　and　McTavish　lifted　their　voices；　and　the　Factor
  bragged　of　the　joys　of　matrimony　till　the　story　of　her　good
  behaviour　and　her　husband's　satisfaction　became　the　property　of　all
  the　dwellers　in　the　Sin　Rock　district。
  Whereupon　Snettishane；　with　visions　of　his　incalculable　interest
  keeping　him　awake　of　nights；　thought　it　time　to　bestir　himself。　　On
  the　tenth　night　of　her　wedded　life　Lit…lit　was　awakened　by　the
  croaking　of　a　raven；　and　she　knew　that　Snettishane　was　waiting　for
  her　by　the　river　bank。　　In　her　great　happiness　she　had　forgotten
  her　pact；　and　now　it　came　back　to　her　with　behind　it　all　the
  childish　terror　of　her　father。　　For　a　time　she　lay　in　fear　and
  trembling；　loath　to　go；　afraid　to　stay。　　But　in　the　end　the　Factor
  won　the　silent　victory；　and　his　kindness　plus　his　great　muscles　and
  square　jaw；　nerved　her　to　disregard　Snettishane's　call。
  But　in　the　morning　she　arose　very　much　afraid；　and　went　about　her
  duties　in　momentary　fear　of　her　father's　coming。　　As　the　day　wore
  along；　however；　she　began　to　recover　her　spirits。　　John　Fox；
  soundly　berating　McLean　and　McTavish　for　some　petty　dereliction　of
  duty；　helped　her　to　pluck　up　courage。　　She　tried　not　to　let　him　go
  out　of　her　sight；　and　when　she　followed　him　into　the　huge　cache　and
  saw　him　twirling　and　tossing　great　bales　around　as　though　they　were
  feather　pillows；　she　felt　strengthened　in　her　disobedience　to　her
  father。　　Also　（it　was　her　first　visit　to　the　warehouse；　and　Sin
  Rock　was　the　chief　distributing　point　to　several　chains　of　lesser
  posts）；　she　was　astounded　at　the　endlessness　of　the　wealth　there
  stored　away。
  This　sight　and　the　picture　in　her　mind's　eye　of　the　bare　lodge　of
  Snettishane；　put　all　doubts　at　rest。　　Yet　she　capped　her　conviction
  by　a　brief　word　with　one　of　her　step…sons。　　〃White　daddy　good？〃　was
  what　she　asked；　and　the　boy　answered　that　his　father　was　the　best
  man　he　had　ever　known。　　That　night　the　raven　croaked　again。　　On　the
  night　following　the　croaking　was　more　persistent。　　It　awoke　the
  Factor；　who　tossed　restlessly　for　a　while。　　Then　he　said　aloud；
  〃Damn　that　raven；〃　and　Lit…lit　laughed　quietly　under　the　blankets。
  In　the　morning；　bright　and　early；　Snettishane　put　in　an　ominous
  appearance　and　was　set　to　breakfast　in　the　kitchen　with　Wanidani。
  He　refused　〃squaw　food；〃　and　a　little　later　bearded　his　son…in…law
  in　the　store　where　the　trading　was　done。　　Having　learned；　he　said；
  that　his　daughter　was　such　a　jewel；　he　had　come　for　more　blankets；
  more　tobacco；　and　more　gunsespecially　more　guns。　　He　had
  certainly　been　cheated　in　her　price；　he　held；　and　he　had　come　for
  justice。　　But　the　Factor　had　neither　blankets　nor　justice　to　spare。
  Whereupon　he　was　informed　that　Snettishane　had　seen　the　missionary
  at　Three　Forks；　who　had　notified　him　that　such　marriages　were　not
  made　in　heaven；　and　that　it　was　his　father's　duty　to　demand　his
  daughter　back。
  〃I　am　good　Christian　man　now；〃　Snettishane　concluded。　　〃I　want　my
  Lit…lit　to　go　to　heaven。〃
  The　Factor's　reply　was　short　and　to　the　point；　for　he　directed　his
  father…in…law　to　go　to　the　heavenly　antipodes；　and　by　the　scruff　of
  the　neck　and　the　slack　of　the　blanket　propelled　him　on　that　trail
  as　far　as　the　door。
  But　Snettishane　sneaked　around　and　in　by　the　kitchen；　cornering
  Lit…lit　in　the　great　living…room　of　the　Fort。
  〃Mayhap　thou　didst　sleep　over…sound　last　night　when　I　called　by　the
  river　bank；〃　he　began；　glowering　darkly。
  〃Nay；　I　was　awake　and　heard。〃　　Her　heart　was　beating　as　though　it
  would　choke　her；　but　she　went　on　steadily；　〃And　the　night　before　I
  was　awake　and　heard；　and　yet　again　the　night　before。〃
  And　thereat；　out　of　her　great　happiness　and　out　of　the　fear　that　it
  might　be　taken　from　her；　she　launched　into　an　original　and　glowing
  address　upon　the　status　and　rights　of　womanthe　first　new…woman
  lecture　delivered　north　of　Fifty…three。
  But　it　fell　on　unheeding　ears。　　Snettishane　was　still　in　the　dark
  ages。　　As　she　paused　for　breath；　he　said　threateningly；　〃To…night　I
  shall　call　again　like　the　raven。〃
  At　this　moment　the　Factor　entered　the　room　and　again　helped
  Snettishane　on　his　way　to