were　together　in　a　flash。　　It　was　the　missionary　at　Sunrise；　a
  newcomer　in　the　country；　who　spoke　the　kind　word　and　gave　the　soft
  stroke　of　the　hand。　　And　for　six　months　after；　he　wrote　no　letters
  home　to　the　States；　and　the　surgeon　at　McQuestion　travelled　two
  hundred　miles　on　the　ice　to　save　him　from　blood…poisoning。
  Men　and　dogs　looked　askance　at　Batard　when　he　drifted　into　their
  camps　and　posts。　　The　men　greeted　him　with　feet　threateningly
  lifted　for　the　kick；　the　dogs　with　bristling　manes　and　bared　fangs。
  Once　a　man　did　kick　Batard；　and　Batard；　with　quick　wolf　snap；
  closed　his　jaws　like　a　steel　trap　on　the　man's　calf　and　crunched
  down　to　the　bone。　　Whereat　the　man　was　determined　to　have　his　life；
  only　Black　Leclere；　with　ominous　eyes　and　naked　hunting…knife；
  stepped　in　between。　　The　killing　of　Batardah；　SACREDAM；　THAT　was
  a　pleasure　Leclere　reserved　for　himself。　　Some　day　it　would　happen；
  or　elsebah！　who　was　to　know？　　Anyway；　the　problem　would　be
  solved。
  For　they　had　become　problems　to　each　other。　　The　very　breath　each
  drew　was　a　challenge　and　a　menace　to　the　other。　　Their　hate　bound
  them　together　as　love　could　never　bind。　　Leclere　was　bent　on　the
  coming　of　the　day　when　Batard　should　wilt　in　spirit　and　cringe　and
  whimper　at　his　feet。　　And　BatardLeclere　knew　what　was　in　Batard's
  mind；　and　more　than　once　had　read　it　in　Batard's　eyes。　　And　so
  clearly　had　he　read；　that　when　Batard　was　at　his　back；　he　made　it　a
  point　to　glance　often　over　his　shoulder。
  Men　marvelled　when　Leclere　refused　large　money　for　the　dog。　　〃Some
  day　you'll　kill　him　and　be　out　his　price；〃　said　John　Hamlin　once；
  when　Batard　lay　panting　in　the　snow　where　Leclere　had　kicked　him；
  and　no　one　knew　whether　his　ribs　were　broken；　and　no　one　dared　look
  to　see。
  〃Dat；〃　said　Leclere；　dryly；　〃dat　is　my　biz'ness；　M'sieu'。〃
  And　the　men　marvelled　that　Batard　did　not　run　away。　　They　did　not
  understand。　　But　Leclere　understood。　　He　was　a　man　who　lived　much
  in　the　open；　beyond　the　sound　of　human　tongue；　and　he　had　learned
  the　voices　of　wind　and　storm；　the　sigh　of　night；　the　whisper　of
  dawn；　the　clash　of　day。　　In　a　dim　way　he　could　hear　the　green
  things　growing；　the　running　of　the　sap；　the　bursting　of　the　bud。
  And　he　knew　the　subtle　speech　of　the　things　that　moved；　of　the
  rabbit　in　the　snare；　the　moody　raven　beating　the　air　with　hollow
  wing；　the　baldface　shuffling　under　the　moon；　the　wolf　like　a　grey
  shadow　gliding　betwixt　the　twilight　and　the　dark。　　And　to　him
  Batard　spoke　clear　and　direct。　　Full　well　he　understood　why　Batard
  did　not　run　away；　and　he　looked　more　often　over　his　shoulder。
  When　in　anger；　Batard　was　not　nice　to　look　upon；　and　more　than　once
  had　he　leapt　for　Leclere's　throat；　to　be　stretched　quivering　and
  senseless　in　the　snow；　by　the　butt　of　the　ever　ready　dogwhip。　　And
  so　Batard　learned　to　bide　his　time。　　When　he　reached　his　full
  strength　and　prime　of　youth；　he　thought　the　time　had　come。　　He　was
  broad…chested；　powerfully　muscled；　of　far　more　than　ordinary　size；
  and　his　neck　from　head　to　shoulders　was　a　mass　of　bristling　hair
  to　all　appearances　a　full…blooded　wolf。　　Leclere　was　lying　asleep
  in　his　furs　when　Batard　deemed　the　time　to　be　ripe。　　He　crept　upon
  him　stealthily；　head　low　to　earth　and　lone　ear　laid　back；　with　a
  feline　softness　of　tread。　　Batard　breathed　gently；　very　gently；　and
  not　till　he　was　close　at　hand　did　he　raise　his　head。　　He　paused　for
  a　moment　and　looked　at　the　bronzed　bull　throat；　naked　and　knotty；
  and　swelling　to　a　deep　steady　pulse。　　The　slaver　dripped　down　his
  fangs　and　slid　off　his　tongue　at　the　sight；　and　in　that　moment　he
  remembered　his　drooping　ear；　his　uncounted　blows　and　prodigious
  wrongs；　and　without　a　sound　sprang　on　the　sleeping　man。
  Leclere　awoke　to　the　pang　of　the　fangs　in　his　throat；　and；　perfect
  animal　that　he　was；　he　awoke　clear…headed　and　with　full
  comprehension。　　He　closed　on　Batard's　windpipe　with　both　his　hands；
  and　rolled　out　of　his　furs　to　get　his　weight　uppermost。　　But　the
  thousands　of　Batard's　ancestors　had　clung　at　the　throats　of
  unnumbered　moose　and　caribou　and　dragged　them　down；　and　the　wisdom
  of　those　ancestors　was　his。　　When　Leclere's　weight　came　on　top　of
  him；　he　drove　his　hind　legs　upwards　and　in；　and　clawed　down　chest
  and　abdomen；　ripping　and　tearing　through　skin　and　muscle。　　And　when
  he　felt　the　man's　body　wince　above　him　and　lift；　he　worried　and
  shook　at　the　man's　throat。　　His　team…mates　closed　around　in　a
  snarling　circle；　and　Batard；　with　failing　breath　and　fading　sense；
  knew　that　their　jaws　were　hungry　for　him。　　But　that　did　not　matter…
  …it　was　the　man；　the　man　above　him；　and　he　ripped　and　clawed；　and
  shook　and　worried；　to　the　last　ounce　of　his　strength。　　But　Leclere
  choked　him　with　both　his　hands；　till　Batard's　chest　heaved　and
  writhed　for　the　air　denied；　and　his　eyes　glazed　and　set；　and　his
  jaws　slowly　loosened；　and　his　tongue　protruded　black　and　swollen。
  〃Eh？　　Bon；　you　devil！〃　Leclere　gurgled　mouth　and　throat　clogged
  with　his　own　blood；　as　he　shoved　the　dizzy　dog　from　him。
  And　then　Leclere　cursed　the　other　dogs　off　as　they　fell　upon
  Batard。　　They　drew　back　into　a　wider　circle；　squatting　alertly　on
  their　haunches　and　licking　their　chops；　the　hair　on　every　neck
  bristling　and　erect。
  Batard　recovered　quickly；　and　at　sound　of　Leclere's　voice；　tottered
  to　his　feet　and　swayed　weakly　back　and　forth。
  〃A…h…ah！　　You　beeg　devil！〃　Leclere　spluttered。　　〃Ah　fix　you；　Ah　fix
  you　plentee；　by　GAR！〃
  Batard；　the　air　biting　into　his　exhausted　lungs　like　wine；　flashed
  full　into　the　man's　face；　his　jaws　missing　and　coming　together　with
  a　metallic　clip。　　They　rolled　over　and　over　on　the　snow；　Leclere
  striking　madly　with　his　fists。　　Then　they　separated；　face　to　face；
  and　circled　back　and　forth　before　each　other。　　Leclere　could　have
  drawn　his　knife。　　His　rifle　was　at　his　feet。　　But　the　beast　in　him
  was　up　and　raging。　　He　would　do　the　thing　with　his　handsand　his
  teeth。　　Batard　sprang　in；　but　Leclere　knocked　him　over　with　a　blow
  of　the　fist；　fell　upon　him；　and　buried　his　teeth　to　the　bone　in　the
  dog's　shoulder。
  It　was　a　primordial　setting　and　a　primordial　scene；　such　as　might
  have　been　in　the　savage　youth　of　the　world。　　An　open　space　in　a
  dark　forest；　a　ring　of　grinning　wolf…dogs；　and　in　the　centre　two
  beasts；　locked　in　combat；　snapping　and　snarling　raging　madly　about
  panting；　sobbing；　cursing；　straining；　wild　with　passion；　in　a　fury
  of　murder；　ripping　and　tearing　and　clawing　in　elemental
  brutishness。
  But　Leclere　caught　Batard　behind　the　ear　with　a　blow　from　his　fist；
  knocking　him　over；　and；　for　the　instant；　stunning　him。　　Then
  Leclere　leaped　upon　him　with　his　feet；　and　sprang　up　and　down；
  striving　to　grind　him　into　the　earth。　　Both　Batard's　hind　legs　were
  broken　ere　Leclere　ceased　that　he　might　catch　breath。
  〃A…a…ah！　　A…a…ah！〃　he　screamed；　incapable　of　speech；　shaking　his
  fist；　through　sheer　impotence　of　throat　and　larynx。
  But　Batard　was　indomitable。　　He　lay　there　in　a　helpless　welter；　his
  lip　feebly　lifting　and　writhing　to　the　snarl　he　had　not　the
  strength　to　utter。　　Leclere　kicked　him；　and　the　tired　jaws　closed
  on　the　ankle；　but　could　not　break　the　skin。
  Then　Leclere　picked　up　the　whip　and　proceeded　almost　to　cut　him　to
  pieces；　at　each　stroke　of　the　lash　crying：　　〃Dis　taim　Ah　break　you！
  Eh？　　By　GAR！　　Ah　break　you！〃
  In　the　end；　exhausted；　fainting　from　loss　of　blood；　he　crumpled　up
  and　fell　by　his　victim；　and　when　the　wolf…dogs　closed　in　to　take
  their　vengeance；　with　his　last　consciousness　dragged　his　body　on
  top　of　Batard　to　shield　him　from　their　fangs。
  This　occurred　not　far　from　Sunrise；　and　the　missionary；　opening　the
  door　to　Leclere　a　few　hours　later；　was　surprised　to　note　the
  absence　of　Batard　from　the　team。　　Nor　did　his　surprise　lessen　when
  Leclere　threw　back　the　robes　from　the　sled；　gathered　Batard　into
  his　arms　and　staggered　across　the　threshold。　　It　happened　that　the
  surgeon　of　McQuestion；　who　was　something　of　a　gadabout；　was　up　on　a
  gossip；　and　between　them　they　proceeded　to　repair　Leclere；
  〃Merci；　non；〃　said　he。　　〃Do　you　fix　firs'　de　dog。　　To　die？　　NON。
  Eet　is　not　good。　　Becos'　heem　Ah　mus'　yet　break。　　Dat　fo'　w'at　he
  mus'　not　die。〃
  The　surgeon　called　it　a　marvel；　the　missionary　a　miracle；　that
  Leclere　pulled　through　at　all；　and　so　weakened　was　he；　that　in　the
  spring　the　fever　got　him；　and　he　went　on　his　back　again。　　Batard
  had　been　in　even　worse　plight；　but　his　grip　on　life　prevailed；　and
  the　bones　of　his　hind　legs　knit；　and　his　organs　righted　themselves；
  during　the　several　weeks　he　lay　strapped　to　the　floor。　　And　by　the
  time　Leclere；　finally　convalescent；　sallow　and　shaky；　took　the　sun
  by　the　cabin　door；　Batard　had　reasserted　his　supremacy　among　his
  kind；　and　brought　not　only　his　own　team…mates　but　the　missionary's
  dogs　into　subjection。
  He　moved　never　a　muscle；　nor　twitched　a　hair；　when；　for　the　first
  time；　Leclere　tott