e life of my fellers didn't weigh an ounce in the
balance. But I was late. Late by a day."

He broke off and dashed more whisky into his glass. He drank it down
neat.

"Do you need more?" His eyes shone, and his voice rose. Then came his
mirthless laugh again. "Yes, best have it all. Oh, it's pretty. As
pretty as if demons had fixed it. We found him. What was left of him.
He was well-nigh hacked to dog meat, and around him were the bodies of
some of his boys. Oh, he'd put up an elegant scrap. He'd fought 'em
at something more than man for man. The Bell River dead lay about
round that bluff on the river bank in heaps. He'd fought 'em to the
last man, and I guess that was Allan. He'd fought 'em as Allan Mowbray
only knew how to fight. And he'd died as just he knew how to die. A
man."

His voice ceased and in the silence John Kars drew a deep breath. A
great sympathy was stirring him. But he had no words to offer, and
presently the other went on.

"We gathered him up, and the frost helped us. So we brought him right
along home. He's buried here inside this old stockade. His grave's
marked. Alec made the cross, I set it up. An' Jessie--why, Jessie
wrote some on it. That's all."

Kars rose to his feet. His cigar was out.

"Thanks," he said, with curious formality.

Then he relit his cigar. He stood for a moment as though debating with
himself. Murray remained in his chair. Somehow his fat figure seemed
to have become huddled. His gaze, too, seemed to have only his
thoughts to dwell upon.

At last Kars went on.

"I didn't ask all this for any sort of curiosity," he said. "I asked
it because I need to know. I'm mushing a long trail myself this year,
an' I guess my way's likely taking me in the region of Bell River,
before I git back here next fall. Guess I've got that yellow streak a
feller needs to make good," he went on, his gravity thawing under a
shadowy smile. "And you figger Bell River's mighty unhealthy for a
white man about now."

While the other was talking the last vestige of Murray's preoccupation
seemed to fall from him. He was alert. He rose from his chair. His
decision was full, and strong, and emphatic, when he replied.

"Unhealthy? It don't say a thing. Avoid Bell River, or you'll regret
it. They're devils let loose. I tell you right here you'll need an
outfit of half a hundred to pass safe through that country. They got a
taste for white man's outfit now