and for the first time since he had come to the post he spoke no word
to Melisse when he found her wakeful and friendly in her cot.

Neither was it the old Jan Thoreau who returned to the excitement
about the great fire. With his long hunting-knife flashing above his
head, he plunged into the throng around the caribou, crowding and
jostling with the others, his voice rising in shrill cries as he
forced himself through to the edge of the fire. Cummins was there,
kneeling with turned-up sleeves and greasy hands beside the huge
roast, and when he saw Jan he stared at him in wonder. There was
neither laughter nor song in Jan Thoreau's voice. It was vibrant with
a strange savageness which was more savage than the wildest yells of
the half-breed Crees, and his great eyes burned fiercely as they
rested for an instant upon Cummins' face.

Close behind Cummins stood Williams. Jan saw him, and his knife
dropped to his side. Then, so quickly that the startled factor drew
back a step, Jan sprang to him.

"Ze fight at ze Great Bear!" he cried in swift eagerness. "For who you
fight at ze Great Bear?"

The factor was silent, and the muscles of his arms grew like steel as
he saw the madness in Jan's face. Suddenly he reached out and gripped
the boy's wrists. Jan made no effort to evade the clutch.

"For who you fight?" he cried again. "For who you fight at ze Great
Bear?"

"We tried to kill a man, but he got away," said Williams, speaking so