hought came to her
mind that it would be a simple thing to kill them in their sleep, and
to take the dogs and so effect her escape. They were murderers; they
deserved to die; and she felt that she could kill them without
compunction. But her eyes swept the dark circle of trees, and for a
moment she stared into the darkness with fixed gaze, then her hand
slipped from the pistol, and she put from her the thought that had come
to her. It was not fear of the darkness or any terror at the hazards of
the frozen wilderness that deterred her from the attempt; it was just
that there was within her a fierce, overwhelming desire, to meet the
man who was the ultimate cause of her lover's death.

When the half-breed rose, and ordered her to resume her place on the
sledge, she did so without demur, making herself as comfortable as
possible. She was bound to the sledge again, though, when they resumed
the journey, she was less like a mere bale than she had been, and was
free to lift the blanket which now was thrown over her head for
protection from the extreme cold more than for any other reason. But
only once before the dawn did she avail herself of this privilege to
look about her, and that was when the second halt was made. She lifted
the blanket to learn the cause of the delay; and made the discovery
that the dog-harness having become entangled in the branch of a fallen
tree, had broken and the halt was necessary for repairs. She dropped
her head-covering again and lay there in the darkness, wild thoughts
mingling with her grief. She chafed at the delay. Her one anxiety was
for the meeting that should involve a terrible justice; the man should
die as her lover had died; and her own hand should inflict upon him the
recompense of God.

The sullen dawn of the Northern winter had broken when she lifted the
blanket again. They were still in the forest, having lost the trail in
the darkness, and presently a fresh halt was necessary, and whilst two
of the men prepared a meal, her chief captor went off through the woods
as she guessed to discover their whereabouts. He returned in the course
of half an hour and said something to his companion which Helen did not
understand; and after a rather leisurely meal they harnessed up once
more.

After a time the forest began to open out. They struck a frozen river
and descending the bank and taking to its smooth surface, their speed
accelerated. The banks of the river widened, and in a little ti