h had at last
sought his. Therefore she had prayed that the wild dog of the trapline
might escape.

As Le Beau came nearer she saw that what he drew after him upon the
snow was a sledge-drag made of four lengths of sapling, and when, a
moment later, she looked down at its burden, she gave a little cry of
horror.

Miki's four feet were tied so firmly to the pieces of sapling that he
could not move. A cord about his neck was fastened to one of the
crossbars, and over his jaws Le Beau had improvised a muzzle of
unbreakable BABICHE thong. He had done all this before Miki regained
consciousness after the clubbing. The woman stared, and there was a
sudden catch in her breath after the little cry that had fallen from
her lips. Many times she had seen Jacques club his dogs, but never had
she seen one clubbed like this. Miki's head and shoulders were a mass
of frozen blood. And then she saw his eyes. They were looking straight
up at her. She turned, fearing that Jacques might see what was in her
face.

Le Beau dragged his burden straight into the cabin, and then stood back
and rubbed his hands as he looked at Miki on the floor. Nanette saw
that he was in a strangely good humour, and waited.

"By the Blessed Saints, but you should have seen him kill
Netah--almost," he exulted. "OUI; he had him down by the throat quicker
than you could flash your eye, and twice he was within an inch of my
life when I fought him with the club. DIEU! I say, what will happen to
Durant's dog when they meet at Post Fort 0' God? I will make a side
wager that he kills him before the second-hand of LE FACTEUR'S watch,
goes round twice. He is splendid! Watch him, Nanette, while I go make a
corral for him alone. If I put him in with the pack he will kill them
all."

Miki's eyes followed him as he disappeared through the cabin door. Then
he looked swiftly back to Nanette. She had drawn nearer. Her eyes were
shining as she bent over him. A snarl rose in Miki's throat, and died
there. For the first time he was looking upon WOMAN. He sensed, all at
once, a difference as vast as the world itself. In his bruised and
broken body his heart stood still. Nanette spoke to him. Never in his
life had he heard a voice like hers--soft and gentle, with a breaking
sob in it; and then--miracle of miracles--she had dropped on her knees
and her hands were at his head!

In that instant his spirit leapt back through the generations--back
beyond his father, and his fathe