70 



CHAPTER IV. 



BOUT a week after Paul Gresham's 

 arrival at Osnaburg House, he was 

 standing talking to Mr. Groves and 

 Pierre Lefranc at the main gate of 



ry) the enclosure, when the latter broke off 

 in the middle of a sentence and gazed in- 

 tently in the direction of the lake that lay 

 spread before them, calm, clear and beau- 

 tiful, its surface broken by numerous little islands 

 whose light green foliage formed a contrast to the 

 gloomy pines, and reminded the beholder of 

 emeralds in an azure setting. 



" Monsieur Groves, I see three — four canoe — • 

 I think the Ojibbeways sail come at last with 

 their peltries," quoth Pierre, after a keen scrutiny. 

 And running back to the house for his glass, Paul 

 distinctly saw several canoes threading their way 

 amongst the distant islands, but such mere specks 

 that no eyes less sharp than a trapper's would have 

 discerned their approach. 



" Well, thank goodness they are coming at last," 



