Mr. Ward, but I'm sorry to have to tell ye, ye bein' a brother of his,
that love ain't one o' them."

"I shall go alone, then," said the old man, firmly.

"Brotherly love is worth respect, Mr. Ward," Connick declared, "but I
ain't the kind of man that stands idle an' sees suicide committed. Ye've
done your full duty by your brother. Now I'm goin' to do my duty by you.
You don't go through that door till this storm is over!"

The next day the wind raged on and the snow piled its drifts. Joshua
Ward sat silent by the fire, his head in his hands, or stood in the
"dingle," gazing mournfully out into the smother of snowflakes. It would
be a mad undertaking to venture abroad. He realized it and needed no
further restraint.

But the dawn of the third day was crisp and bright. Soon after sunrise a
panting woodsman, traveling at his top speed on snow-shoes, halted for a
hasty bite at Number 7. He was a messenger from the camp above.

"Colonel Gid Ward was picked up yesterday froze pretty nigh solid!" he
gulped out, between his mouthfuls. "I'm goin' down for a doctor," and
then he went striding away, even as Joshua Ward took the up-trail.

Parker spent all that day in sober thought, and then, forming his
resolution, took passage on the first tote-team that went floundering
through toward Sunkhaze. His departure was neither hindered nor
encouraged.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN--HOW RODNEY PARKER PAID AN HONEST DEBT

The engineer found his little garrison holding the fort at the Poquette
Carry camp--and confining their attentions wholly to holding the fort.
Not an ax blow had been struck since his hurried departure.

"We didn't work no more," explained one of the men, "because we'd give
up all idea of seein you ag'in. Of course we reckoned that a new boss
would prob'ly be comin' along pretty quick and we thought we'd wait and
find out just what he wanted us to do."

"Well, it will be the same old boss and the same old plan," replied
Parker curtly. The idea that the men had considered him such easy prey
made him indignant. "You'll consider after this that I'm the Colonel
Gideon Ward of this six-mile stretch here."

"I reckon there won't be any real Gid Ward any more," said the man.
"Feller went through here last night, hi-larrup for 'lection, to git a
doc for Gid. Seems he got caught out and froze up somehow--tho I never
s'picioned that weather would have any effect on the old sanup. P'rhaps
you've been hearin' all about how