PIERRE AND HIS PEOPLE

... But Pierre was only passive outwardly. Besides hearkening to the father's complaints he was closely watching the son. Pierre was clever, and a good actor. He had learned the power of reserve and out-ward immobility. The Indian in him helped
him there. He had heard what Young Aleck had just muttered j but to the man of the cold fingers he said: "You keep good whisky in spite of the law and the iron glove, Old Aleck." To the young man: "And you can drink it so free, eh. Young Aleck?" The
half-breed looked out of the corners of his eyes at the young man, but he did not raise the peak of his fur cap in doing so, and his glances askance were not seen.
Young Aleck had been writing something with his finger-nail on the frost of the pane, over and over again. When Pierre spoke to him thus he scratched out the word he had written, with what seemed unnecessary force. But in one corner it remained : "Mab "
Pierre added : "That is what they say ai*llum-phrey's ranch."
"Who says that at Humphrey's? Pierre, you lie!" was the sharp and threatening reply. The significance of this last statement had been often attested on the prairies by the ...

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