e looked beyond Philip to the cabin and the sledge. The grin slowly
went out of his face, and Philip heard the sudden catch in his breath.
A swift glance revealed the amazing truth to Olaf. He dropped Philip's
hand and stepped back, taking him in suddenly from head to foot.

"Alone!"

"Yes, alone," nodded Philip. "With the exception of Celie Armin. I
brought her back to her father. A fellow named Blake is back there a
little way with Upi's tribe. We beat them out, but I'm figuring it
won't be long before they show up."

The grin was fixed in Olaf's face again.

"Lord bless us, but it's funny," he grunted. "They're coming on the
next train, so to speak, and right over in that neck of woods is the
other half of Upi's tribe chasing their short legs off to get me. And
the comical part of it is you're ALONE!" His eyes were fixed suddenly
on the revolver. "Ammunition?" he demanded eagerly. "And--grub?"

"Thirty or forty rounds of rifle, a dozen Colt, and plenty of meat--"

"Then into the cabin, and the dogs with us," almost shouted the Swede.

From the edge of the forest came the report of a rifle and over their
heads went the humming drone of a bullet.

They were back at the cabin in a dozen seconds, tugging at the dogs. It
cost an effort to get them through the door, with the sledge after
them. Half a dozen shots came from the forest. A bullet spattered
against the log wall, found a crevice, and something metallic jingled
inside. As Olaf swung the door shut and dropped the wooden bar in place
Philip turned for a moment toward Celie. She went to him, her eyes
shining in the semi-gloom of the cabin, and put her arms up about his
shoulders. The Swede, looking on, stood transfixed, and the
white-bearded Armin stared incredulously. On her tip-toes Celie kissed
Philip, and then turning with her arms still about him said something
to the older man that brought an audible gasp from Olaf. In another
moment she had slipped away from Philip and back to her father. The
Swede was flattening his face against a two inch crevice between the
logs when Philip went to his side.

"What did she say, Olaf?" he entreated.

"That she's going to marry you if we ever get out of this hell of a fix
we're in," grunted Olaf. "Pretty lucky dog, I say, if it's true.
Imagine Celie Armin marrying a dub like you! But it will never happen.
If you don't believe it fill your eyes with that out there!"

Philip glued his eyes to the long crevice betwe