he crouched
there on the floor, pleading with an imaginary foe. The scene was
pitiable to behold, and Keith hastened to his side.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "The dog won't hurt you."

The man started and looked up in a dazed manner. Then he reached
forward with his long, bony fingers.

"Save me!" he moaned. "Drive them away! They will kill me!"

"Why, there's nothing to harm you," Keith replied. "It's your own dog
come back to you, and he's licking your hands and face in his delight."

A gleam of intelligence stole into the man's eyes, as he looked slowly
around, somewhat relieved.

"My dog?" he continued. "Brisko? Not wolves?"

"No, not a wolf near. You are safe."

The man trembled. He caught Keith by the hand. He looked up into his
face, and then, throwing his arms around the dog's neck, wept like a
child.

"Safe, safe," he murmured. "Thank God! Oh, how they howled!" and a
shudder shook his frame. "They tore at the roof; they scratched at the
door. My God, it was awful! And to think that he left me to those
devils!"

Then he leaned eagerly forward. "Did you see him? Did you meet him on
the trail?"

"Meet whom?" demanded Keith, thinking the man was wandering in his mind.

"Bill; Bill, my partner."

"No, I have not met any one for days."

"Are you sure?" and the man crept near, and looked into the traveller's
face in a beseeching manner. "Think hard. A man with a long beard,
and the Devil's face."

"No, I tell you I have met no one. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, God, help me! You didn't see him, and he's got my gold! Yes,
_my_ gold," he cried, grinding his teeth in his rage. "Look, you.
Listen. We were partners, Bill and I. We struck gold. To find it we
struggled hard. We tore the flesh from our hands on the rocks. Our
feet bled. We suffered hunger and cold; but we found it. It was
awful, but we found it. The trail was long, but we didn't mind; we had
the gold. The wind howled down the mountain passes. We slept in the
snow. For days we had little to eat, but we laughed, and hugged our
pokes of gold, and kissed them as a mother kisses her babes. The dogs
died one by one, except the leader there, and we ate them raw, like the
wolves, which followed us and howled at night. But we laughed like
ghosts, always laughed, for the gold was safe. We reached this cabin.
Here we stayed, for we could go no further. We watched the gold,
counting it over and over. Then one day he le