"Did you ever learn from me to lay a finger upon a woman, old or young,
in anger or kindness?"

"No."

"Then, my poor Manuel, it's as I feared; civilization has ruined you.
Farming and a simple, bucolic life have perverted your morals. So you
were running off with the stock and that mustang, when you got stuck in
the snow; and the luminous idea of this little game struck you? Eh? That
was another mistake, Manuel; I never allowed you to think when you were
with me."

"No, captain."

"Who's your friend?"

"A d--d cowardly nigger from the Summit."

"I agree with you for once; but he hasn't had a very brilliant example.
Where's he gone now?"

"To h-ll, for all I care!"

"Then I want you to go with him. Listen. If there's a way out of the
place, you know it or can find it. I give you two days to do it--you and
he. At the end of that time the order will be to shoot you on sight. Now
take off your boots."

The man's dark face visibly whitened, his teeth chattered in
superstitious terror.