vidout a hand to pull him out. All de
blood in my body, every drop, I gif to safe him. Don't you beliefe? I
remember vhen de vaves and de vind pring dot canoe ashore. Ve lose not
a ting because eferyting is lashed tight. Py dat time he vos vhistling
and singin' alretty, like nodings efer happen. Ve had de big fire
roarin', I tell you, and vhen I say again he safe my life he yoost
laugh like it is a fine yoke an' say: 'Oh, shut up, Stefan, ve're a
pair big fools to get upset, anyvays. And some tay you do yoost same
ting for me, I bet.' And now--now I can do nodings--nodings at all."

He seemed to be in an agony of despair. Madge had hardly realized that
the suffering of men could reach such an intensity. She rose and
placed her little hand on the giant's shoulder. The huge frame was
shaking convulsively, in great sobs that brought no tears with them.
Then, all at once, he rose and faced her, shamefacedly.

"Poor leetle leddy," he faltered, "I ban makin' you unhappy vid dem
story. I ban sorry be such a big tam fool, but I can no help it.
It--it is stronger as me."

For a time he paced up and down the little shack, struggling hard to
keep himself in hand. Once he seized his shaggy head in his great paws
and seemed to be trying to squeeze out of it the unendurable pain that
was in it.

"De sun he begin go town," he said, stopping suddenly. "Vhy don't dat
Papineau get back? It get dark soon. I tank I take de togs an' go down
de road. Mebbe his team break down. His leader ban a young tog."

For an instant Madge felt like begging him to remain. Ay, she could
have shrieked out her terror at the idea of being left alone with the
man that was dying, as she thought, but she also succeeded in
controlling herself, realizing that if the man was not allowed to do
something, anything that would require the strength of his thews and
divert the turmoil of his brain, he might go mad.

"As--as you think best," she assented, with her head bent low.

Stefan took his cap and fitted it over his great shock of hair, but at
this moment Maigan rose and went to the door, whining.

"Some one ban comin', but it ain't Papineau," said Stefan.

It proved to be Mrs. Papineau, hurrying down the path and carrying a
basket. She explained that the cow had had a calf, hence her delay.
Puffing and breathless she scolded them for not lighting the lamp and
bustled about the place, declaring that the two watchers should have
made tea and that it took