By　these；　the　countless　herds　of　buffalo　and　deer　quenched　their　thirst　in　the　days　when　they；　with　their　rival　claimants　for　the　land；　the　Black　Feet　and　the　Crees；　roamed　undisturbed　over　these　mighty　plains。　　These　waterways　in　later　days　when　The　Honourable　the　Hudson's　Bay　Company　ruled　the　West；　formed　the　great　highways　of　barter。　　By　these　teeming　lakes　and　sleughs　and　marshes　hunted　and　trapped　Indians　and　half…breeds。　　Down　these　streams　and　rivers　floated　the　great　fur　brigades　in　canoe　and　Hudson's　Bay　pointer　with　priceless　bales　of　pelts　to　the　Bay　in　the　north　or　the　Lakes　in　the　south；　on　their　way　to　that　centre　of　the　world's　trade；　old　London。　　And　up　these　streams　and　rivers　went　the　great　loads　of　supplies　and　merchandise　for　the　faraway　posts　that　were　at　once　the　seats　of　government　and　the　emporiums　of　trade　in　this　wide　land。
  Following　the　canoe　and　Hudson's　Bay　boat；　came　the　river　barge　and　side…wheeler；　and　with　these；　competing　for　trade；　the　overland　freighter　with　ox　train　and　pack　pony；　with　Red　River　cart　and　shagginappi。
  Still　later；　up　these　same　waterways　and　along　these　trails　came　settlers　singly　or　in　groups；　the　daring　vanguard　of　an　advancing　civilization；　and　planted　themselves　as　pleased　their　fancy　in　choice　spots；　in　sunny　nooks　sheltered　by　bluffs；　by　gemlike　lakes　or　flowing　streams；　but　mostly　on　the　banks　of　the　great　rivers；　the　highways　for　their　trade；　the　shining　links　that　held　them　to　their　kind。　　Some　there　were　among　those　hardy　souls　who；　severing　all　bonds　behind　them；　sought　only　escape　from　their　fellow　men　and　from　their　past。　　These　left　the　great　riverways　and　freighting　trails；　and　pressing　up　the　streams　to　distant　head　waters；　there　pitched　their　camp　and　there；　in　lonely；　lordly　independence；　took　rich　toll　of　prairie；　lake　and　stream　as　they　needed　for　their　living。
  Such　a　man　was　Jack　French；　and　such　a　spot　was　Night　Hawk　Lake；　whose　shining　waters　found　a　tortuous　escape　four　miles　away　by　Night　Hawk　Creek　into　the　South　Saskatchewan；　king　of　rivers。
  The　two　brothers；　Jack　and　Herbert　French；　of　good　old　English　stock；　finding　life　in　the　trim　downs　of　Devon　too　confined　and　wearisome　for　their　adventurous　spirits；　fell　to　walking　seaward　over　the　high　head　lands；　and　to　listening　and　gazing；　the　soft　spray　dashing　wet　upon　their　faces；　till　they　found　eyes　and　ears　filled　with　the　sights　and　sounds　of　far；　wide　plains　across　the　sea　that　called　and　beckoned；　till　in　the　middle　seventies；　with　their　mother's　kiss　trembling　on　their　brows　and　on　their　lips；　and　their　father's　almost　stern　benediction　stiffening　their　backs；　they　fared　forth　to　the　far　West；　and　found　themselves　on　the　black　trail　that　wound　up　the　Red　River　of　the　North　and　reached　the　straggling　hamlet　of　Winnipeg。
  There；　in　one　of　Winnipeg's　homes；　they　found　generous　welcome　and　a　maiden；　guarded　by　a　stern　old　timer　for　a　father　and　four　stalwart　plain…riding　brothers；　but　guarded　all　in　vain；　for　laughing　at　all　such　guarding；　the　two　brothers　with　the　hot　selfishness　of　young　love；　each　unaware　of　the　other's　intent；　sought　to　rifle　that　house　of　its　chief　treasure。
  To　Herbert；　the　younger；　that　ardent　pirate　of　her　heart；　the　maiden　struck　her　flaming　flag；　and　on　the　same　night；　with　fearful　dismay；　she　sought　pardon　of　the　elder　brother　that　she　could　not　yield　him　like　surrender。　　With　pale　appealing　face　and　kind　blue　eyes；　she　sought　forgiveness　for　her　poverty。
  〃Oh；　Mr。　French；〃　she　cried；　〃if　I　only　could！　　But　I　cannot　give　you　what　is　Herbert's　now。〃
  〃Herbert！〃　gasped　Jack　with　parched　lips。
  〃And　oh；　Jack；〃　she　cried　again　with　sweet　selfishness；　〃you　will　love　Herbert　still；　and　me？〃
  And　Jack；　having　had　a　moment　in　which　to　summon　up　the　reserves　of　his　courage　and　his　command；　smiled　into　her　appealing　eyes；　kissed　her　pale　face；　and　still　smiling；　took　his　way；　unseeing　and　unheeding　all　but　those　appealing；　tearful　eyes　and　that　pleading　voice　asking　with　sweet　selfishness　only　his　life。
  Three　months　he　roamed　the　plains　alone；　finding　at　length　one　sunny　day；　Night　Hawk　Lake；　whose　fair　and　lonely　wildness　seemed　to　suit　his　mood；　and　there　he　pitched　his　camp。　　Thence　back　to　Winnipeg　a　month　later　to　his　brother's　wedding；　and　that　over；　still　smiling；　to　take　his　way　again　to　Night　Hawk　Lake；　where　ever　since　he　spent　his　life。
  He　passed　his　days　at　first　in　building　house　and　stables　from　the　poplar　bluffs　at　hand；　and　later　in　growing　with　little　toil　from　the　rich　black　land　and　taking　from　prairie；　lake　and　creek　with　rifle　and　with　net；　what　was　necessary　for　himself　and　his　man；　the　Scotch　half…breed　Mackenzie；　all　the　while　forgetting　till　he　could　forget　no　longer；　and　then　with　Mackenzie　drinking　deep　and　long　till　remembering　and　forgetting　were　the　same。
  After　five　years　he　returned　to　Winnipeg　to　stand　by　her　side　whose　image　lived　ever　in　his　heart；　while　they　closed　down　the　coffin　lid　upon　the　face　dearest　to　her；　dearest　but　one　to　him　of　all　faces　in　the　world。　　Then　when　he　had　comforted　her　with　what　comfort　he　had　to　give；　he　set　face　again　toward　Night　Hawk　Lake；　leaving　her；　because　she　so　desired　it；　alone　but　for　her　aged　mother；　bereft　of　all；　husband；　brothers；　father；　who　might　guard　her　from　the　world's　harm。
  〃I　am　safe；　dear　Jack；〃　she　said；　〃God　will　let　nothing　harm　me。〃
  And　Jack；　smiling　bravely　still；　went　on　his　way　and　for　a　whole　year　lived　for　the　monthly　letter　that　advancing　civilization　had　come　to　make　possible　to　him。
  The　last　letter　of　the　year　brought　him　the　word　that　she　was　alone。　　That　night　Jack　French　packed　his　buckboard　with　grub　for　his　six…hundred…mile　journey；　and　at　the　end　of　the　third　week；　for　the　trail　was　heavy　on　the　Portage　Plains；　he　drove　his　limping　broncho　up　the　muddy　Main　Street　of　Winnipeg。
  When　the　barber　had　finished　with　him；　he　set　forth　to　find　his　brother's　wife；　who；　seeing　him；　turned　deadly　pale　and　stood　looking　sadly　at　him；　her　hand　pressed　hard　upon　her　heart。
  〃Oh；　Jack！〃　she　said　at　length；　with　a　great　pity　in　her　voice；　〃poor　Jack！　why　did　you　come？〃
  〃To　make　you　a　home　with　me；〃　said　Jack；　looking　at　her　with　eyes　full　of　longing；　〃and　wherever　you　choose；　here　or　yonder　at　the　Night　Hawk　Ranch；　which　is　much　better；〃at　which　her　tears　began　to　flow。
  〃Poor　Jack！　　Dear　Jack！〃　she　cried；　〃why　did　you　come？〃
  〃You　know　why；〃　he　said。　　〃Can　you　not　learn　to　love　me？〃
  〃Love　you；　Jack？　　I　could　not　love　you　more。〃
  〃Can　you　not　come　to　me？〃
  〃Dear　Jack！　　Poor　Jack！〃　she　said　again；　and　fell　to　sobbing　bitterly　till　he　forgot　his　own　grief　in　hers。　　〃I　love　my　husband　still。〃
  〃And　I　too；〃　said　Jack；　looking　pitifully　at　her。
  〃And　I　must　keep　my　heart　for　him　till　I　see　him　again。〃　　Her　voice　sank　to　a　whisper；　but　she　stood　bravely　looking　into　his　eyes；　her　two　hands　holding　down　her　fluttering　heart　as　if　in　fear　that　it　might　escape。
  〃And　is　that　the　last　word？〃　said　Jack　wearily。
  〃Yes；　Jack；　my　brother；　my　dear；　dear　brother；〃　she　said；　〃it　is　the　last。　　And　oh；　Jack；　I　have　had　much　sorrow；　but　none　more　bitter　than　this！〃　　And　sobbing　uncontrollably；　she　laid　herself　on　his　breast。
  He　held　her　to　him；　stroking　her　beautiful　hair；　his　brown　hand　trembling　and　his　strong　face　twisting　strangely。
  〃Don't　cry；　dear　Margaret。　　Don't　cry　like　that。　　I　won't　make　you　weep。　　Never　mind。　　You　could　not　help　it。　　AndI'llgetover　itsomehow。　　Only　don't　cry。〃
  Then　when　she　grew　quiet　again　he　kissed　her　and　went　out；　smiling　back　at　her　as　he　went；　and　for　fifteen　years　never　saw　her　face　again。
  But　month　by　month　there　came　a　letter　telling　him　of　her　and　her　work；　and　this　helped　him　to　forget　his　pain。　　But　more　and　more　often　as　the　years　went　on；　Jack　French　and　his　man　Mackenzie　sat　long　nights　in　the　bare　ranch　house　with　a　bottle　between　them；　till　Mackenzie　fell　under　the　table　and　Jack　with　his　hard　head　and　his　lonely　heart　was　left　by　himself；　staring　at　the　fire　if　in　winter；　or　out　of　the　window　at　the　lake　if　in　summer；　till　the　light　on　the　water　grew　red；　to　his　great　hurt　in　body　and　in　soul。
  One　spring　day　in　the　sixteenth　year；　in　the　middle　of　the　month　of　May；　when　Jack　had　driven　to　the　Crossing　for　supplies；　an　unexpected　letter　met　him；　which　gave　him　much　concern　and　changed　forever　the　even　current　of　his　life。　　And　this　was　the　letter：
  'MY　DEAR　JACK；You　have　not　yet　answered　my　last；　you　bad　boy；　but　you　know　I　do　not　wait　for　answers；　or　you　would　seldom　hear　from　me。'　　〃And　that's　true　enough；〃　murmured　Jack。　　'But　this　is　a　special　letter；　and　is　to　ask　you　to　do　a　great　thing　for　me；　a　very　great　thing。　　Indeed；　you　may　not　be　able　to　do　it　at　all。'　〃Indeed！〃　said　Jack。　　'And　if　you　cannot　do　it；　I　trust　you　to　tell　me　so。'　　〃Trust　me！　well　rather；〃　said　Jack　again。
  'You　know　something　of　my　work　among　the　Galicians；　but　you　do　not　know　just　how　sad　it　often　is。　　They　are　poor　ignorant　creatures；　but　really　they　have　kind　hearts　and　have　many　nice　things。'　　〃By　Jove！　　She'd　find　good　points　in　the　very　devil　himself！〃　　'And　I　know　you　would　pity　them　if　you　knew　them；　especially　the　women　and　the　children。　　The　women　have　to　work　so　hard；　and　the　children　are　growing　up　w