ss; and
above all other lands it will stand for the protection of the weak and
for the right of things to live!"

The quarter-breed gazed into her face with a look of undisguised
admiration. "Ah, Miss Elliston, you are beautiful, now--beautiful
always--but, at this moment--radiant--divine--" Chloe seemed not to hear
him.

"And that is to be _my_ work--to awaken the North! To bring to its
people the comforts--the advantages of civilization!"

"The North is too big for you, Miss Elliston. It is too big for _men_.
Pardon, but it is not a woman's land."

The girl's eyes flashed. "Suppose we leave sex out of it, Mr. Lapierre.
They said of my grandfather that 'the harder they fought him, the better
he liked 'em,' and that 'he never knew when he was licked.' Maybe that
is the reason he never was licked, but lived to carry civilization into a
land that was a thousand years deeper in savagery than this land is. And
today civilization--education--Christianity exist where seventy-five
years ago the chance visitor was tortured first and eaten afterward."

Lapierre shrugged. "It is useless to argue. I am in sympathy with your
undertaking. I admire your courage, and the high ideals of your mission.
But, permit me to remind you that your grandfather, whoever he was, was
_not_ a woman. Also, that here, in the North, Christianity and education
have failed to civilize--the educated ones and the converts are worse
than the others."

The girl's eyes darkened and the man noticed the peculiar out-thrust of
the chin. He hastened to change the subject.

"I am glad you have abandoned those plans. They were useless. May I now
proceed with the building?"

Chloe smiled. "Yes," she answered, "by all means. But, as this is to be
_my_ undertaking, I think I shall have it _my_ way. Build the store
first, if you please----"

"And the stockade?"

"There will be no stockade."

"No stockade! Are you crazy? If MacNair----"

"I will attend to MacNair, Mr. Lapierre."

"Do you imagine MacNair will stand quietly by and allow you to build a
trading-post here on the Yellow Knife? Do you think he will listen to
our explanation that this is a school and that the store is merely a
plaything? I tell you he will countenance neither the school nor the
post. Education for the natives is the last thing MacNair will stand
for."

"As I told you, I will attend to MacNair. My people will not be armed.
The stockade would be silly."