expected, and he was making for the door with ludicrous haste,
which robbed his going of any of the ceremony with which he had entered
it.

Charley stood aside, but with an air of protest. He would willingly
have robbed the old man of his last remaining locks.

The hut was cleared, and the white men emerged into the open. The air
which still reeked of burning was preferable to the unwholesome stench
which these bestial northern Indians exhaled.

They stood watching the precipitate retreat of their visitors. The
whole camp was agog, and looked on curiously. Even the Indian packmen
were stirred out of their usual indifference to things beyond their
labors.

Bill laughed as the old man vanished beyond the piles of pay dirt,
which had been converted into defences.

"Guess he's worried some," he said.

Abe Dodds chewed and spat.

"Worried? Gee, that don't say a thing--not a thing. Guess that old
guy ain't had a shake up like that since he first choked himself with
gravel when his momma wa'n't around. I allow Louis Creal, whoever he
is, is going to get an earful that'll nigh bust his drums."

But Kars had no responsive smile.

"They'll be on us by nightfall," he said quietly. "We need to get
busy." Then he suddenly called out. His voice was stern and
threatening. "Quit that, Charley! Quit it or by----!"

His order came in the nick of time. All the pent-up spleen and hatred
of Peigan Charley had culminated in an irresistible desire. He had
seized a rifle from one of the camp Indians standing by, and had flung
himself on the banked up defences. Even as his boss shouted, his eye
was running over the sights, and his finger was on the trigger.

He flung the weapon aside with a gesture of fierce disgust, and stood
scowling after the hurrying deputation, his heart tortured with the
injustice of his chief in robbing him of the joy of sheer murder.

CHAPTER XXVII

THE BATTLE OF BELL RIVER

The dark of night was creeping up the gorge. A gray sky, still heavy
with the smoke of the forest fire, made its progress easy and rapid.
The black walls nursed its efforts, yielding their influence upon the
deep valley below them. No star could penetrate the upper cloud banks.
The new-born moon was lost beyond the earth-inspired canopy.

The fires of the great camp were out. No light was visible anywhere.
The fighting men were at their posts on the flanking embankments.
Reserves were gathered, smoking and