Timothy　Brown　he　had　arrived　at　Sunrise。　　Considered　in　the　light
  of　his　evilness；　the　unanimous　conclusion　was　that　he　had　killed
  Timothy　Brown。　　On　the　other　hand；　Leclere　acknowledged　their
  facts；　but　challenged　their　conclusion；　and　gave　his　own
  explanation。　　Twenty　miles　out　of　Sunrise　he　and　Timothy　Brown　were
  poling　the　boat　along　the　rocky　shore。　　From　that　shore　two　rifle…
  shots　rang　out。　　Timothy　Brown　pitched　out　of　the　boat　and　went
  down　bubbling　red；　and　that　was　the　last　of　Timothy　Brown。　　He；
  Leclere；　pitched　into　the　bottom　of　the　boat　with　a　stinging
  shoulder。　　He　lay　very　quiet；　peeping　at　the　shore。　　After　a　time
  two　Indians　stuck　up　their　heads　and　came　out　to　the　water's　edge；
  carrying　between　them　a　birch…bark　canoe。　　As　they　launched　it；
  Leclere　let　fly。　　He　potted　one；　who　went　over　the　side　after　the
  manner　of　Timothy　Brown。　　The　other　dropped　into　the　bottom　of　the
  canoe；　and　then　canoe　and　poling　boat　went　down　the　stream　in　a
  drifting　battle。　　After　that　they　hung　up　on　a　split　current；　and
  the　canoe　passed　on　one　side　of　an　island；　the　poling　boat　on　the
  other。　　That　was　the　last　of　the　canoe；　and　he　came　on　into
  Sunrise。　　Yes；　from　the　way　the　Indian　in　the　canoe　jumped；　he　was
  sure　he　had　potted　him。　　That　was　all。　　This　explanation　was　not
  deemed　adequate。　　They　gave　him　ten　hours'　grace　while　the　Lizzie
  steamed　down　to　investigate。　　Ten　hours　later　she　came　wheezing
  back　to　Sunrise。　　There　had　been　nothing　to　investigate。　　No
  evidence　had　been　found　to　back　up　his　statements。　　They　told　him
  to　make　his　will；　for　he　possessed　a　fifty…thousand　dollar　Sunrise
  claim；　and　they　were　a　law…abiding　as　well　as　a　law…giving　breed。
  Leclere　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃Bot　one　t'ing；〃　he　said；　〃a
  leetle；　w'at　you　call；　favoura　leetle　favour；　dat　is　eet。　　I　gif
  my　feefty　t'ousan'　dollair　to　de　church。　　I　gif　my　husky　dog；
  Batard；　to　de　devil。　　De　leetle　favour？　　Firs'　you　hang　heem；　an'
  den　you　hang　me。　　Eet　is　good；　eh？〃
  Good　it　was；　they　agreed；　that　Hell's　Spawn　should　break　trail　for
  his　master　across　the　last　divide；　and　the　court　was　adjourned　down
  to　the　river　bank；　where　a　big　spruce　tree　stood　by　itself。
  Slackwater　Charley　put　a　hangman's　knot　in　the　end　of　a　hauling…
  line；　and　the　noose　was　slipped　over　Leclere's　head　and　pulled
  tight　around　his　neck。　　His　hands　were　tied　behind　his　back；　and　he
  was　assisted　to　the　top　of　a　cracker　box。　　Then　the　running　end　of
  the　line　was　passed　over　an　over…hanging　branch；　drawn　taut；　and
  made　fast。　　To　kick　the　box　out　from　under　would　leave　him　dancing
  on　the　air。
  〃Now　for　the　dog；〃　said　Webster　Shaw；　sometime　mining　engineer。
  〃You'll　have　to　rope　him；　Slackwater。〃
  Leclere　grinned。　　Slackwater　took　a　chew　of　tobacco；　rove　a　running
  noose；　and　proceeded　leisurely　to　coil　a　few　turns　in　his　hand。　　He
  paused　once　or　twice　to　brush　particularly　offensive　mosquitoes
  from　off　his　face。　　Everybody　was　brushing　mosquitoes；　except
  Leclere；　about　whose　head　a　small　cloud　was　visible。　　Even　Batard；
  lying　full…stretched　on　the　ground　with　his　fore　paws　rubbed　the
  pests　away　from　eyes　and　mouth。
  But　while　Slackwater　waited　for　Batard　to　lift　his　head；　a　faint
  call　came　from　the　quiet　air；　and　a　man　was　seen　waving　his　arms
  and　running　across　the　flat　from　Sunrise。　　It　was　the　store…keeper。
  〃C…call　'er　off；　boys；〃　he　panted；　as　he　came　in　among　them。
  〃Little　Sandy　and　Bernadotte's　jes'　got　in；〃　he　explained　with
  returning　breath。　　〃Landed　down　below　an'　come　up　by　the　short　cut。
  Got　the　Beaver　with　'm。　　Picked　'm　up　in　his　canoe；　stuck　in　a　back
  channel；　with　a　couple　of　bullet…holes　in　'm。　　Other　buck　was　Klok
  Kutz；　the　one　that　knocked　spots　out　of　his　squaw　and　dusted。〃
  〃Eh？　　W'at　Ah　say？　　Eh？〃　Leclere　cried　exultantly。　　〃Dat　de　one　fo'
  sure！　　Ah　know。　　Ah　spik　true。〃
  〃The　thing　to　do　is　to　teach　these　damned　Siwashes　a　little
  manners；〃　spoke　Webster　Shaw。　　〃They're　getting　fat　and　sassy；　and
  we'll　have　to　bring　them　down　a　peg。　　Round　in　all　the　bucks　and
  string　up　the　Beaver　for　an　object　lesson。　　That's　the　programme。
  Come　on　and　let's　see　what　he's　got　to　say　for　himself。〃
  〃Heh；　M'sieu！〃　Leclere　called；　as　the　crowd　began　to　melt　away
  through　the　twilight　in　the　direction　of　Sunrise。　　〃Ah　lak　ver'
  moch　to　see　de　fon。〃
  〃Oh；　we'll　turn　you　loose　when　we　come　back；〃　Webster　Shaw　shouted
  over　his　shoulder。　　〃In　the　meantime　meditate　on　your　sins　and　the
  ways　of　Providence。　　It　will　do　you　good；　so　be　grateful。〃
  As　is　the　way　with　men　who　are　accustomed　to　great　hazards；　whose
  nerves　are　healthy　and　trained　in　patience；　so　it　was　with　Leclere
  who　settled　himself　to　the　long　waitwhich　is　to　say　that　he
  reconciled　his　mind　to　it。　　There　was　no　settling　of　the　body；　for
  the　taut　rope　forced　him　to　stand　rigidly　erect。　　The　least
  relaxation　of　the　leg　muscles　pressed　the　rough…fibred　noose　into
  his　neck；　while　the　upright　position　caused　him　much　pain　in　his
  wounded　shoulder。　　He　projected　his　under　lip　and　expelled　his
  breath　upwards　along　his　face　to　blow　the　mosquitoes　away　from　his
  eyes。　　But　the　situation　had　its　compensation。　　To　be　snatched　from
  the　maw　of　death　was　well　worth　a　little　bodily　suffering；　only　it
  was　unfortunate　that　he　should　miss　the　hanging　of　the　Beaver。
  And　so　he　mused；　till　his　eyes　chanced　to　fall　upon　Batard；　head
  between　fore　paws　and　stretched　on　the　ground　asleep。　　And　their
  Leclere　ceased　to　muse。　　He　studied　the　animal　closely；　striving　to
  sense　if　the　sleep　were　real　or　feigned。　　Batard's　sides　were
  heaving　regularly；　but　Leclere　felt　that　the　breath　came　and　went　a
  shade　too　quickly；　also　he　felt　that　there　was　a　vigilance　or
  alertness　to　every　hair　that　belied　unshackling　sleep。　　He　would
  have　given　his　Sunrise　claim　to　be　assured　that　the　dog　was　not
  awake；　and　once；　when　one　of　his　joints　cracked；　he　looked　quickly
  and　guiltily　at　Batard　to　see　if　he　roused。　　He　did　not　rouse　then
  but　a　few　minutes　later　he　got　up　slowly　and　lazily；　stretched；　and
  looked　carefully　about　him。
  〃Sacredam；〃　said　Leclere　under　his　breath。
  Assured　that　no　one　was　in　sight　or　hearing；　Batard　sat　down；
  curled　his　upper　lip　almost　into　a　smile；　looked　up　at　Leclere；　and
  licked　his　chops。
  〃Ah　see　my　feenish；〃　the　man　said；　and　laughed　sardonically　aloud。
  Batard　came　nearer；　the　useless　ear　wabbling；　the　good　ear　cocked
  forward　with　devilish　comprehension。　　He　thrust　his　head　on　one
  side　quizzically；　and　advanced　with　mincing；　playful　steps。　　He
  rubbed　his　body　gently　against　the　box　till　it　shook　and　shook
  again。　　Leclere　teetered　carefully　to　maintain　his　equilibrium。
  〃Batard；〃　he　said　calmly；　〃look　out。　　Ah　keel　you。〃
  Batard　snarled　at　the　word　and　shook　the　box　with　greater　force。
  Then　he　upreared；　and　with　his　fore　paws　threw　his　weight　against
  it　higher　up。　　Leclere　kicked　out　with　one　foot；　but　the　rope　bit
  into　his　neck　and　checked　so　abruptly　as　nearly　to　overbalance　him。
  〃Hi；　ya！　　Chook！　　Mush…on！〃　he　screamed。
  Batard　retreated；　for　twenty　feet　or　so；　with　a　fiendish　levity　in
  his　bearing　that　Leclere　could　not　mistake。　　He　remembered　the　dog
  often　breaking　the　scum　of　ice　on　the　water　hole　by　lifting　up　and
  throwing　his　weight　upon　it；　and　remembering；　he　understood　what　he
  now　had　in　mind。　　Batard　faced　about　and　paused。　　He　showed　his
  white　teeth　in　a　grin；　which　Leclere　answered；　and　then　hurled　his
  body　through　the　air；　in　full　charge；　straight　for　the　box。
  Fifteen　minutes　later；　Slackwater　Charley　and　Webster　Shaw
  returning；　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　ghostly　pendulum　swinging　back　and
  forth　in　the　dim　light。　　As　they　hurriedly　drew　in　closer；　they
  made　out　the　man's　inert　body；　and　a　live　thing　that　clung　to　it；
  and　shook　and　worried；　and　gave　to　it　the　swaying　motion。
  〃Hi；　ya！　　Chook！　you　Spawn　of　Hell！〃　yelled　Webster　Shaw。
  But　Batard　glared　at　him；　and　snarled　threateningly；　without
  loosing　his　jaws。
  Slackwater　Charley　got　out　his　revolver；　but　his　hand　was　shaking；
  as　with　a　chill；　and　he　fumbled。
  〃Here　you　take　it；〃　he　said；　passing　the　weapon　over。
  Webster　Shaw　laughed　shortly；　drew　a　sight　between　the　gleaming
  eyes；　and　pressed　the　trigger。　　Batard's　body　twitched　with　the
  shock；　threshed　the　ground　spasmodically　for　a　moment；　and　went
  suddenly　limp。　　But　his　teeth　still　held　fast　locked。
  THE　STORY　OF　JEES'　UCK
  There　have　been　renunciations　and　renunciations。　　But；　in　its
  essence；　renunciation　is　ever　the　same。　　And　the　paradox　of　it　is；
  that　men　and　women　forego　the　dearest　thing　in　the　world　for
  something　dearer。　　It　was　never　otherwise。　　Thus　it　was　when　Abel
  brought　of　the　firstlings　of　his　flock　and　of　the　fat　thereof。　　The
  firstlings　and　the　fat　thereof　were　to　him　the　dearest　things　in
  the　world；　yet　he　gave　them　over　that　he　might　be　on　good　terms
  with　God。　　So　it　was　with　Abraham　when　he　prepared　to　o