g upwards, was at a disadvantage. His blade, aimed at the
neck and shoulder, struck Nick's cheek, laid the flesh open to the lower
jaw, glanced, and buried itself in the muscle of the shoulder. Nick's
blade smote with a fearful gash into the side of his brother's throat.

It was over.

Ralph lay quivering and silent upon the ground. Nick rose staggering and
dazed.

He moved away like a man in a dream. His arms hung limply at his sides,
and his eyes looked out across the wide woodland valley with an
uncomprehending stare. His face was almost unrecognizable under the flow
of blood from his wound. Once, as he stood, one hand went up
mechanically to his face, then it dropped again without having
accomplished its purpose. And all the while his vacant eyes stared out
upon--nothing.

Presently he sat down. His actions were almost like collapse, and he
remained where he sat, still, silent, like an image. The moments passed.
The quiet was intense. A faint murmur of flowing waters came up from the
river beyond.

Suddenly he moved. Then in a moment he seemed to break out into
passionate life. The stony stare had gone from his eyes. Intelligence
looked out; intelligence such as one might find in one whose mind is on
the verge of losing its balance; a fearful, anxious, hunted
intelligence, face to face with an unending horror.

He moved to where his brother was lying, and stood shaking in every
limb; he had realized the work of his hands. He dashed the blood from
his face. The vivid stain dyed his fingers and the touch of the warm
tide only seemed to add to his terror. He went up to the still form and
looked down. Then he backed away, slowly, step by step, but still unable
to withdraw his fascinated gaze.

Suddenly a cry broke from his lips. It was bitter, heartrending. Then a
quick word followed.

"Wher's--"

His question remained uncompleted. His head turned swiftly, and he
looked stupidly about him. The clearing was empty of all save himself
and that other lying upon the ground at his feet, and, beyond, the
carcass of the dead grizzly. A dreadful fear leapt to his brain; he
moved tottering. His action gained swiftness suddenly. He ran to the
forest edge, and, with hungry eyes, gazed in beyond the sparse fringe of
scrub. There was nothing there. He moved away to the right and ran in
amongst the low-growing bush, only to reappear with more feverish haste,
and eyes whose fiery glance seemed to shoot in every direction at