gathered in a snarl and he was straining at
the babiche thongs that bound him. In that same moment Philip caught a
glimpse of Celie. She, too, was staring--and at Blake. Her lips were
parted, her eyes were big with amazement and as she looked she clutched
her hands convulsively at her breast and uttered a low, strange cry.
For the first time she saw Blake's face with the light full upon it. At
the sound of her cry Blake's eyes went to her, and for the space of a
second the imprisoned beast on the floor and the girl looking down on
him made up a tableau that held Philip spellbound. Between them was
recognition--an amazed and stone like horror on the girl's part, a
sudden and growing glare of bestial exultation in the eyes of the man.

Suddenly there came the Eskimo's voice and the yapping of dogs. It was
the first Blake had heard. He swung his head toward the door with a
great gasp and the babiche cut like whipcord under the strain of his
muscles. Swift as a flash Philip thrust the muzzle of the big Colt
against his prisoner's head.

"Make a sound and you're a dead man, Blake!" he warned. "We need that
team, and if you so much as whisper during the next ten seconds I'll
scatter your brains over the floor!"

They could hear the cold creak of the sledge-runners now, and a moment
later the patter of many feet outside the door. In a single leap Philip
was at the door. Another and he was outside, and an amazed Eskimo was
looking into the round black eye of his revolver. It required no common
language to make him understand what was required of him. He backed
into the cabin with the revolver within two feet of his breast. Celie
had caught up the rifle and was standing guard over Blake as though
fearful that he might snap his bonds. Philip laughed joyously when he
saw how quickly she understood that she was to level the rifle at the
Kogmollock's breast and hold it there until he had made him a prisoner.
She was wonderful. She was panting in her excitement. From the floor
Blake had noticed that her little white finger was pressing gently
against the trigger of the rifle. It had made him shudder. It made the
Eskimo cringe a bit now as Philip tied his hands behind him. And Philip
saw it, and his heart thumped. Celie was gloriously careless.

It was over inside of two minutes, and with an audible sigh of relief
she lowered her rifle. Then she leaned it against the wall and ran to
Blake. She was tremendously excited as she point