will stand to hold the secret which will die
forever with to-morrow's end."

Philip came near to Jean now. He placed his two hands on the
half-breed's shoulders, and for a moment looked at him without
speaking. His face was strangely white.

"I understand--everything, Jean," he whispered huskily, and his lips
seemed parched. "To-morrow, we will destroy all evidence, and kill.
That is the one way. And that secret which you dread, which Josephine
has told me I could not guess in a thousand years, will be buried
forever. But Jean--I HAVE GUESSED IT. I KNOW! It has come to me at
last, and--my God!--I understand!"

Slowly, with a look of horror in his eyes, Jean drew back from him.
Philip, with bowed head, saw nothing of the struggle in the
half-breed's face. When Jean spoke it was in a strange voice and low.

"M'sieur!"

Philip looked up. In the fire-glow Jean was reaching out his hand to
him. In the faces of the two men was a new light, the birth of a new
brotherhood. Their hands clasped. Silently they gazed into each other's
eyes, while over them the beginning of storm moaned in the treetops and
the clouds raced in snow-gray armies under the moon.

"Breathe no word of what may have come to you to-night," spoke Jean
then. "You will swear that?"

"Yes."

"And to-morrow we fight! You see now--you understand what that fight
means, M'sieur?"

"Yes. It means that Josephine--"

"Tsh! Even I must not hear what is on your lips, M'sieur! I cannot
believe that you have guessed true. I do not want to know. I dare not.
And now, M'sieur, will you lie down? I will go to Le M'sieur and tell
him I have received word that you and Josephine are to stay at Breuil's
overnight. He must not know what has happened. He must not be at the
big fight to-morrow. When it is all over we will tell him that we did
not want to terrify him and Miriam over Josephine. If he should be at
the fight, and came hand to hand with Lang or Thoreau--"

"He must not go!" exclaimed Philip. "Hurry to him, Jean. I will boil
some coffee while you are gone. Bring another rifle. They robbed me of
mine, and the pistol."

Jean prepared to leave.

"I will return soon," he said. "We should start for the Forks within
two hours, M'sieur. In that time you must rest."

He slipped away into the gloom in the direction of the pit. For several
minutes Philip stood near the fire staring into the flames. Then he
suddenly awoke into life. The thought that had come to hi