the dirty work for that bogus company which is selling lots that exist on paper only and scrip-land which on examination turns out to be Indian Reserve."
That bogus company had been giving Grey Wolf much trouble of late. Men and women had come up to take possession of land that never was there, and of Indian Reserve which no one could sell. Some had given all they had for the little bits of worthless paper which they had brought to Ducane or Tempest with wrath or tears. Tempest had had a woman in the office yesterday, and he did not forget it. But this assertion staggered him.
"By what right do you make such an insinuation?" he said sharply.
"It is not an insinuation. Robison is related to half the tribes in the North. Pasasun is a connection of his. Robison is very thick with Ducane. Morally I dare say he is the better man. But they hardly move in the same social circles. Why are they friends? They are working some underhand game together. I have heard of more than one breed selling Robison scrip-land lately. Where does Robison get the money? From Ducane. Where does Ducane get it; for all the world knows he hasn't a cent to spend on his land? From the bogus company. Where do they get it? From the innocents down in Virginia and Kentucky, and away in England, who are hooked by the prospectuses and pamphlets which Ducane and Robison concoct and send out, for a consideration, to the bogus company."
"This is only deduction, you know."
"Everything is deduction originally. Do you remember this official report showing that one or two breeds near Chipwyan have taken scrip lately? I know that one sold again at once. How does the Government Commissioner know that they are breeds? If Robison can persuade a light-coloured Indian to take oath that he is a breed—and we know that this is occasionally done, that Indian will get his breed privileges, and his scrip-land from the Government. Then he sells it to Robison, which means Ducane, and Ducane pays for it with the commissions on his work for the bogus company."
Tempest sat still with his chin in his hand.
