Alton resolutely shook off his grasp, and moved very slowly and stiffly towards the living-room.  “No,” he said.  “I’m not going back there any more.  Get me a big black cigar, Charley—­and then go right away.”

Seaforth did as he was bidden, for there were many things which demanded his attention, but he glanced at his comrade as he went out, and the sight of the gaunt figure sitting very grim and straight in a chair by the window would return long afterwards to his memory.

“He takes it badly—­and a little while ago I should have thought he was right,” he said.

It was several hours later when Seaforth returned to the house, and found Mrs. Margery in a state of consternation.

“Where’s Harry?” he said.

“’Way down to the settlement,” said the woman.  “Okanagan was fool enough to hoist him on a horse, and though I talked half-an-hour solid I couldn’t stop him.”

Seaforth smiled dryly.  “I scarcely think you could.  Harry is himself again.  What has taken him to the settlement, anyway?”

The woman glanced at him contemptuously.  “All men are fools,” said she.  “He went to meet that girl from the old country, and find out his mistake.”

Seaforth said nothing, but went out in haste and saddled a horse, for although it had been apparent to him that there was no affection wasted between Alice Deringham and Mrs. Margery, her words had left him with a vague uneasiness.

In the meantime Alton dropped very stiffly from the saddle in front of Horton’s hotel, and, limping up the stairway, found the man who kept it upon the verandah.

“Glad to see you coming round, Harry; but you’re looking very white, and walking kind of stiff,” he said.

“Yes,” said Alton dryly.  “I shall probably walk just that way all my life.”

Horton made no attempt to condole with him.  He knew Alton tolerably well, and felt that any sympathy he could offer would be inadequate.  “Well,” he said, “here’s a letter Thomson brought you in from the railroad.”

Alton tore open the envelope, and read the message with a faint relief, for it was from Deringham, and stated that an affair of business would prevent him returning to Somasco for some little time.  Then he remembered that to delay a question which must be asked would but prolong the suspense.

“I’m going through to the railroad, but the ride has shaken me, and I’ll lie down and sleep a while,” he said.

“Well,” said Horton, “you know best, but you look a long way more fit to be sitting beside the stove up there at the ranch.  That was a tolerably bad accident you had?”

Alton glanced at him sharply, but his voice was indifferent as he answered.  “Oh, yes, I came to grief bringing in a deer, and lay out in the frost a good while before they found me.  Have you had many strangers round here?”

Horton nodded.  “The bush is just full of them—­looking for timber rights and prospecting round the Crown lands—­Hallam’s friends, I think.  There was one of them seemed kind of anxious about you lately.”