e? And what effect was it having on Josephine? The
minutes passed slowly--with an oppressive slowness. Three times he
lighted matches to look at his watch. Five minutes passed--ten,
fifteen. He rose from the log and paced back and forth, making a beaten
path in the snow. It was taking Jean a long time to tell the story!

And then, suddenly, a flood of light shot out into the night. The
curtain was raised! It was Jean's signal to him, and with a wildly
beating heart he responded to it.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

The window was open when Philip came to it, and Jean was waiting to
give him an assisting hand. The moment he was in the room he turned to
look at Josephine. She was gone. Almost angrily he whirled upon the
half-breed, who had lowered the window, and was now drawing the
curtain. It was with an effort that he held back the words on his lips.
Jean saw that effort, and shrugged his shoulders with an appreciative
gesture.

"It is partly my fault that she is not here, M'sieur," he explained.
"She would have told you nothing of what has passed between us--not as
much, perhaps, as I. She will see you in the morning."

"And there's damned little consolation at the present moment in that,"
gritted Philip, with clenched hands. "Jean--I'm ready to fight now! I
feel like a rat must feel when it's cornered. I've got to jump pretty
soon--in some direction--or I'll bust. It's impossible--"

Jean's hand fell softly upon his arm.

"M'sieur, you would cut off this right arm if it would give you
Josephine?"

"I'd cut off my head!" exploded Philip.

"Do you remember that it was only a few hours ago that I said she could
never be yours in this world?" Croisset reminded him, in the same quiet
voice. "And now, when even I say there is hope, can you not make me
have the confidence in you that I must have--if we win?"

Philip's face relaxed. In silence he gripped Jean's hand.

"And what I am going to tell you--a thing which Josephine would not say
if she were here, is this, M'sieur," went on Jean. "Before you left us
alone in this room I had a doubt. Now I have none. The great fight is
coming. And in that fight all the spirits of Kisamunito must be with
us. You will have fighting enough. And it will be such fighting its you
will remember to the end of your days. But until the last word is
said--until the last hour, you must be as you have been. I repeat that.
Have you faith enough in me to believe?"

"Yes, I believe," said