occasins after
the way of my people, which is a better way than thy people's way. And
as I say, I shall be thy woman, Negore, always thy woman. And I shall
make thy life glad for thee, so that all thy days will be a song and
laughter, and thou wilt know the woman Oona as unlike all other women,
for she has journeyed far, and lived in strange places, and is wise in
the ways of men and in the ways they may be made glad. And in thine old
age will she still make thee glad, and thy memory of her in the days of
thy strength will be sweet, for thou wilt know always that she was ease
to thee, and peace, and rest, and that beyond all women to other men has
she been woman to thee."

"Even so," said Negore, and the hunger for her ate at his heart, and his
arms went out for her as a hungry man's arms might go out for food.

"When thou hast shown the way, Negore," she chided him; but her eyes were
soft, and warm, and he knew she looked upon him as woman had never looked
before.

"It is well," he said, turning resolutely on his heel. "I go now to make
talk with the chiefs, so that they may know I am gone to show the
Russians the way."

"Oh, Negore, my man! my man!" she said to herself, as she watched him go,
but she said it so softly that even Old Kinoos did not hear, and his ears
were over keen, what of his blindness.

* * * * *

Three days later, having with craft ill-concealed his hiding-place,
Negore was dragged forth like a rat and brought before Ivan--"Ivan the
Terrible" he was known by the men who marched at his back. Negore was
armed with a miserable bone-barbed spear, and he kept his rabbit-skin
robe wrapped closely about him, and though the day was warm he shivered
as with an ague. He shook his head that he did not understand the speech
Ivan put at him, and made that he was very weary and sick, and wished
only to sit down and rest, pointing the while to his stomach in sign of
his sickness, and shivering fiercely. But Ivan had with him a man from
Pastolik who talked the speech of Negore, and many and vain were the
questions they asked him concerning his tribe, till the man from
Pastolik, who was called Karduk, said:

"It is the word of Ivan that thou shalt be lashed till thou diest if thou
dost not speak. And know, strange brother, when I tell thee the word of
Ivan is the law, that I am thy friend and no friend of Ivan. For I come
not willingly from my country by the sea, and I desire greatly to live;
where