"Look," cried Helen. "Look!"  
They had almost reached the cabin on the return journey and were full in view of the lake. As she cried the words she over its snow-laden surface, and Stane, looking in the direction indicated, saw that which made his heart leap. A dog-team was coming up the lake, with a man on snow-shoes packing the trail in front.
 
"Who can it be?" asked the girl in some excitement.
 
"The owner of the cabin—for a certainty!" answered Stane, conscious of a sudden relief from the anxiety which the morning had brought.
 
"Then," answered the girl quietly, "you wait to welcome him, whilst I go and prepare a meal."
 
She passed into the cabin, whilst Stane walked down to the shore of the lake. The traveller whoever he was, was making directly for the cabin, and watching, Stane saw that he walked wearily as if he had come far, or was suffering from some weakness. It was quite an time before he saw Stane to welcome him, and when he did so, he gave a shout. Stane answered the hail, and a few minutes later when the man halted his dogs he saw that he was mistaken in concluding the new-comer was the owner of the cabin, for he was in the winter dress of the Nor-west Mounted Police.
 
"Cheero," said the policeman in greeting. "Where's Jean Bènard?"
 
Stane shook his head. "Don't know. Is Jean Bènard the owner of the cabin?"
 
At this question the policeman glanced at him sharply.
 
"Don't you know that? Who in thunder—Stane! By Christopher!" As he made the recognition the new-comer held out his hand. "Well this is a pleasure. Don't you know me, old man?"
 
Stane looked at him as he shook his hand. "I think I do," he said. "Your Dandy Anderton, aren't you?"
 
"Used to be," laughed the other. "Now I'm Trooper Richard Alland Anderton of the R.N.W.M.P., and no more a dandy. But I'm mortal glad to see you, Stane, particularly as I'm a little knocked. I hurt my shoulder this morning, as——" He broke off suddenly as the sound of movement came from the cabin, and asked quickly. "You've got a mate?"
 
"Yes," answered Stane, with a short laugh, "as good a mate as a man could have, a mate that happens to be a lady!"
 
"A lady!" Anderton whistled. "Up here! By Jove! you've both got pluck."
 
"Well, you see, Anderton, it's not exactly a matter of choice. We were together, and this cabin happened to offer itself. But loose your dogs, and come and be introduced!"
 
"Right-o!" replied the policeman. "I'll be with you in two jiffs."
 
Stane entered the cabin to prepare Helen. As he did so the girl looked up from the stove. "Is he the owner of our palace?"
 
"No; he is an old acquaintance of mine, who is now in the Mounted Police."
 
"Then we shall not suffer ?" she laughed, and to Stane it seemed there was an odd note of relief in her voice.
 
"No; but he spells deliverance. You see if he can't do anything for us himself he can carry the news of our whereabouts to Fort Malsun, and——"
 
At that moment a whip-stock hammered at the cabin-door, and a second later Trooper Anderton entered. For a moment he was a little taken aback by the girl's appearance, then Stane made the introduction.
 
"Miss Yardely; Mr. Anderton!"
 
"Miss Yardely!" the policeman cried. "Are you Sir James Yardely's niece, who was lost a few months ago?"
 
"The very same," answered Helen smilingly.
 
"There's a reward out for your discovery—five thousand dollars, no less."
 
"I didn't know I was worth so much," laughed the girl.
 
"Your uncle makes it; and half the trappers in the north are keeping a look-out for you; for it is known that you were found by some one——"
 
"There is my saviour," interrupted Helen, nodding towards Stane.
 
"Lucky fellow," laughed the policeman. "How did it happen?"
 
"Perhaps Mr. Stane will tell you later," answered the girl, "and if he doesn't, I will. But I don't want this moose steak to spoil. I take a pride in my cookery."
 
She laughed and turned again to the stove. Both the men watched her admiringly for a moment, and then Anderton asked: "Been up here long, Stane?"
 
Stane gave him an approximate date, and explained the situation by recounting his accident. The other nodded sympathetically. "You were lucky to have Miss Yardely with you. I had a narrow shave myself this morning. Just as I was starting from my last camp, a tree that two minutes before looked as stable as a pyramid, . It caught me on the shoulder and knocked me flying. Lucky thing I fell clear; but it gave me a nasty jar, and my left arm is a little out of action, with the soreness. I oughtn't to have taken the trail this morning, and wouldn't, only I'm in a tremendous hurry—a running you know."
 
"Who is it?" asked Stane.
 
"A breed, wanted for murder. He's been running for months, making this way and there's an idea that he's sought with his mother's tribe at the top end of this lake."
 
"Ah, then there is an encampment up here?"
 
"Yes. Didn't you know?"
 
Stane gave an account of the mysterious visit of the previous night and of the stranger they had seen in the wood that morning and the policeman listened carefully.
 
"The girl's a puzzler," he said, "but the stranger may be my man. He knows his life is , and he's ripe for any sort of crime. I guess I'll move on after him when I've had a rest."
 
"We'll go with you," answered Stane thoughtfully, "we may be able to get dogs from the camp."
 
"It's just possible," agreed Anderton, "if the Indians will sell. If not, then I'll carry the news of you back to Fort Malsun, and the factor there will send for you like a shot." He was silent for a moment, watching Helen as she laid the table; then he said hesitatingly. "By the by, Stane, did you ever get to the bottom of that unfortunate affair of yours in England?"
 
"No," was the reply, given with some bitterness, "but the jury did."
 
"Oh rot!" exclaimed the other. "Nobody who knew you really believes that."
 
"I have met one man up here who does!"
 
"Who is that?"
 
"Ainley! You remember——"
 
"Ainley! Why, man, he——" He broke off suddenly, with a look at the girl.
 
"Yes?" said Stane, "you need not mind Miss Yardely. She knows I have been in prison."
 
"Yes!" answered Helen quickly, "and I am very sure he ought not to have been."
 
"It was a damnable shame!" broke out the policeman. "But the facts were against you at the time, Stane. The hand-writing experts——"
 
"Oh the likenesses were there, right enough," interrupted Stane, "and I certainly had been in Harcroft's rooms, alone, and I suppose in company with his cheque book. Also I had lost rather a pot of money on the boat-race, and I am bound to admit all the other incriminating circumstances."
 
"Yes, but you don't know everything. Long after you—er—went down, Jarlock, who was in our set, told me something about Ainley."
 
"What was that?" asked Stane quickly.
 
"Well, it was that just at that time, Ainley was broke and borrowing money right and left, and that he had forged Jarlock's name to a bill. Jarlock became aware of the fact through the bill being presented to him for payment, and he tackled Ainley about the business. Ainley owned up, and Jarlock let the thing go, for old acquaintance' sake. But just about the time of your trouble he left the 'Varsity and went on a trip to the , and it was a full year after before he even heard what had befallen you. It made him think of his own affair with Ainley, and when he met me months afterwards he took me into his confidence. We talked the matter over carefully, and knowing you as we both did, we reached the conclusion that you were innocent and that Ainley was the guilty man."
 
"Any evidence?"
 
"No, nothing beyond that matter of the bill. We judged by general principles. Ainley always was something of a rotter, you know."
 
Stane laughed a trifle bitterly. "He's by way of becoming a personage of importance today. But I think you're right, the more so since I encountered him up here."
 
He gave a brief account of his meeting with Ainley, told how he had waited for him on two successive nights, and how on the second night he had been kidnapped without any apparent reason. The policeman listened carefully and at the end nodded his head.
 
"Looks !" he commented. "The fellow was afraid of you." Then after a moment he asked, "Your question? The question you wanted to ask Ainley, I mean. What was it?"
 
"It was about a sheet of paper with some writing on it. You shall see it."
 
He felt in his hip-pocket, and producing a small letter-case, took out a thin packet wrapped in oiled silk. Opening it, he unfolded a sheet of foolscap and handed it to the other.
 
It was covered with writing, and as Anderton looked at it, he saw that the writing was made up of two names, written over and over again, the names being those of Hubert Stane and Eric Harcroft. At first the character of the handwriting of the two names was widely different, but presently the separate characteristics were blended with a distinct leaning towards those ............