He pushed his way through and stopped at the bottom of the three log steps which led up to the door.
At the top was Professor McGill, coming out.

His face was a puzzle.
His eyes had in them a stony stare as he gazed down at Philip.

Then he descended slowly, like one moving in a dream.

"Good Heavens," he said huskily, and only for Philip's ears, "do you know what I've done, Phil ?" "What ?" demanded Philip.
The doctor came down to the last step.
"Phil," he whispered, "that fellow we found with a broken head played a nice game on me.

He was a criminal, and I've brought back to Fort Smith no less person than the man sent out to arrest him, Corporal Dobson, of the Mounted Police, and his driver, Francois Something-or-Other.
Heavens, ain't it funny ?" That same afternoon Corporal Dobson and the half-breed set out again in quest of Falkner, and this time they were accompanied by Pierre Thoreau, who learned for the first time what had happened in his cabin.