CHAPTER I
THE VENTURERS
"Mercy!" shrieked little Francette, her red-rose face aghast, "he will begin before I can bring the help!"
Like a flash of flame the maid in her crimson skirt shot up the main way of Fort de Sévière to where the factory lay asleep in the warm spring sun.
On its log step, pipe in mouth, young Anders McElroy leaned against the jamb and looked smilingly out upon his settlement. Peace lay softly upon it, from the waters of the small stream to the east where nine canoes lay bottom up upon the pebbly shore, to the great dark wall of the forest shouldering near on three sides. To him ran little Francette, light on her moccasined feet as the wind in the tender pine-tops, her eloquent small hands outstretched and clutching at his sleeve audaciously.
None other in all the post would have dared as
