uld kill me," Porportuk volunteered. "So it were
well to take from him his rifle, and to have some of your young men sit
by him, that he may not do me hurt. He is a young man, and what are
broken bones to youth!"

Akoon, lying helpless, had rifle and knife taken from him, and to either
side of his shoulders sat young men of the Mackenzies. The one-eyed old
man arose and stood upright. "We marvel at the price paid for one mere
woman," he began; "but the wisdom of the price is no concern of ours. We
are here to give judgment, and judgment we give. We have no doubt. It
is known to all that Porportuk paid a heavy price for the woman El-Soo.
Wherefore does the woman El-Soo belong to Porportuk and none other." He
sat down heavily, and coughed. The old men nodded and coughed.

"I will kill you," Akoon cried in English.

Porportuk smiled and stood up. "You have given true judgment," he said
to the council, "and my young men will give to you much tobacco. Now let
the woman be brought to me."

Akoon gritted his teeth. The young men took El-Soo by the arms. She did
not resist, and was led, her face a sullen flame, to Porportuk.

"Sit there at my feet till I have made my talk," he commanded. He paused
a moment. "It is true," he said, "I am an old man. Yet can I understand
the ways of youth. The fire has not all gone out of me. Yet am I no
longer young, nor am I minded to run these old legs of mine through all
the years that remain to me. El-Soo can run fast and well. She is a
deer. This I know, for I have seen and run after her. It is not good
that a wife should run so fast. I paid for her a heavy price, yet does
she run away from me. Akoon paid no price at all, yet does she run to
him.

"When I came among you people of the Mackenzie, I was of one mind. As I
listened in the council and thought of the swift legs of El-Soo, I was of
many minds. Now am I of one mind again but it is a different mind from
the one I brought to the council. Let me tell you my mind. When a dog
runs once away from a master, it will run away again. No matter how many
times it is brought back, each time it will run away again. When we have
such dogs, we sell them. El-Soo is like a dog that runs away. I will
sell her. Is there any man of the council that will buy?"

The old men coughed and remained silent

"Akoon would buy," Porportuk went on, "but he has no money. Wherefore I
will give El-Soo to him, as he said, witho