met since a month before at Nelson House, and there was but little
cordiality in Sng to say howdy to 'em," explained Nome, pausing for a
moment. "Deuce of a good joke on you, Steele! How do you like the job of
bringing in an old colonel's frozen wife, or a frozen colonel's old
wife, eh?"

Every fiber in Steele's body grew tense at the banter in the other's
voice. He whirled upon Nome, who had partly turned away.

"You remember--you lied down there at Nelson to get just such a 'job' as
this," he reminded. "Have you forgotten what happened--after that?"

"Don't get miffed about it, man," returned Nome with an irritating
laugh. "All's fair in love and war. That was love down there, 'pon my
word of honor it was, and this is about as near the other thing as I
want to come."

There was something in his laugh that drew Steele's lips in a tight line
as he entered the cabin. It was not the first time that he had listened
to Nome's gloating chuckle at the mention of certain women. It was this
more than anything else that made him hate the man.

Physically, Nome was a magnificent specimen, beyond doubt the handsomest
man in the service north of Winnipeg; so that while other men despised
him for what they knew, women admired and loved him--until, now and then
too late for their own salvation, they discovered that his moral code
was rotten to the core.

Such a thing had happened at Nelson House, and Philip felt himself
burning with a desire to choke the life out of Nome as he recalled the