o sit up. He managed with
an effort, and balanced himself on the edge of his cot. His head was
dizzy, and he felt clumsy and helpless as a stuffed bag. His hands were
tied behind him, and his feet were bound. He thought Hauck looked like
an exultant gargoyle as he stood there with a horrible grin on his face,
and Brokaw....

It was Brokaw who bent over him, his thick fingers knotting, his open
eyes fairly livid.

"I'm glad you ain't dead, Raine."

His voice was husky, muffled by the swollen thickness of his battered
lips.

"Thanks," said David. The dizziness was leaving him, but there was a
steady pain in his head. He tried to smile. "Thanks!" It was rather
idiotic of him to say that. Brokaw's hands were moving slowly toward his
throat when Hauck drew him back.

"I won't touch him--not now," he growled. "But to-night--oh, God!"

His knuckles snapped.

"You--liar! You--spy! You--sneak!" he cursed through his broken teeth.
David saw where they _had_ been--a cavity in that cruel, battered mouth.
"And you think, after that...."

Again Hauck tried to draw him away. Brokaw flung off his hands angrily.

"I won't touch him--but I'll _tell_ him, Hauck! The devil take me body
and soul if I don't! I want him to know...."

"You're a fool!" cried Hauck. "Stop, or by Heaven!..."

Brokaw opened his mouth and laughed, and David saw the havoc of his
blows.

"You'll do _what_, Hauck? Nothing--that's what you'll do! Ain't I told
him you killed that _napo_ from MacPherson? Ain't I told him enough to
set us both swinging?" He bent over David until his breath struck his
face. "I'm glad you didn't die, Raine," he repeated, "because I want to
see you when you shuffle off. We're only waiting for the Indians to go.
Old Wapi starts with his tribe at sunset. I'm sorry, but we can't get
the heathen away any earlier because he says it's good luck to start a
journey at sunset in the moulting moon. You'll start yours a little
later--as soon as they're out of sound of a rifle shot. You can't trust
Indians, eh? You made a hit with old Wapi, and it wouldn't do to let him
know we're going to send you where you sent my bear. Eh--would it?"

"You mean--you're going to murder me?" said David

"If standing you up against a tree and putting a bullet through your
heart is murder--yes," gloated Brokaw.

"Murder--" repeated David.

He seemed powerless to say more than that. An overwhelming dizziness was
creeping over him, the pain was splitti