ig water.
What you call him?"

"Hudson's Bay?"

"No, no. Not so big water."

"Chesterfield Inlet?"

The woman's eyes cleared of their perplexity.

"So. Chest-fiel' Inlet. Him big water. Indian man come with much seal.
Him mak camp. Bimeby him mak big trail for Unaga. Then him find him
trail. Cy an' Marcel. Him follow him trail, an' bimeby him come big,
deep place. Cy an' Marcel, all gone--dead. Him dogs all gone--dead. An'
wolves eat up all flesh. Oh yes."

"How did they recognize the bones?"

"Him sled, him outfit. All 'Sleeper.' Indian man know."

"And you reckon Cy Allshore killed Marcel--murdered him?"

There was a sharpness in Steve's demand that suggested doubt. He did not
doubt the woman's story. It was her assertion that Cy had murdered his
partner. He saw no evidence for her assumption. He felt that she had
given run to her own personal feelings against the man.

"That so. I tell you," An-ina returned composedly. She read his doubt
and understood. "I not lie. Oh, no. Indian man wise. Sleeper man wise.
Not bad. No. They find him bones. All eat clean. They see big place.
They look an' look. No fall. Oh, no. No break 'em all up. No. Him say
Marcel wise man. Cy wise man. Not care for wolf. Oh, no. So him look
much. Him take him bone an' look. Him find him head--two. Maybe
Marcel--maybe Cy. Him find him hole. Little hole--big hole. Same like
each. Then him find gun. Two much little gun. Two big gun. Little gun
him both shoot. Two time--three time. Him say big fight--plenty. So. It
easy. Oh, yes. Marcel him no fight plenty. Oh, no. Him so as brother
with Cy. Cy him not so. An-ina know. Cy him steal, steal, so," An-ina
bent her lithe body in an attitude of stealing upon a victim. "Then him
little gun go--one I Marcel know. Him quick like lightning. Him
brave--much brave. Then him little gun go--one. So. Both all kill
up--dead."

For all the broken way of her talk, An-ina carried conviction. She knew
both men. And her woman's heart and mind had read Cy Allshore to the
dregs of what she believed was an infamous heart. Steve knew the danger
of accepting her story without reserve. He was convinced of her
sincerity. It would have been impossible to doubt. But----

The sound of little Marcel's piping voice reached them from the outside.
Steve turned and glanced out of the window. Oolak was bringing in his
train, with its five powerful dogs. Julyman with a club was busy, with
little Marcel's assistance, beati