essed he knew him all the same. Then he turned on his
side, swore feebly at the lawlessness of the South, and gave up the
ghost.

Not a man on the creek but understood who Scowl Austin meant.

"Them hot-headed Kentuckians, y' know, they'd dowse a feller's glim for
less 'n that."

"Little doubt the Colonel done it all right. Why, his own pardner says
to Austin's face, says he, 'The Colonel's a bad man to fool with,' and
just then the big chap plunged at Austin like a mad bull."

But they were sorry to a man, and said among themselves that they'd see
he was defended proper even if he hadn't nothin' but a little dust in a
jam-pot.

The Grand Forks constable had put a watch on the big tent, despatched a
man to inform the Dawson Chief of Police, and set himself to learn the
details of the quarrel. Meanwhile the utter absence of life in the
guarded tent roused suspicion. It was recalled now that since the
Indians had left a little while after the Colonel was carried home,
sixteen hours ago, no one had seen either of the Southerners. The
constable, taking alarm at this, left the crowd at Scowl Austin's, and
went hurriedly across the meadow to the new centre of interest. Just as
he reached the tent the flap was turned back, and Maudie put her head
out.

"Hah!" said the constable, with some relief, "they both in there?"

"The Colonel is."

Now, it was the Colonel he had wanted till he heard he was there. As
the woman came out he looked in to make certain. Yes, there he was,
calmly sleeping, with the gray blanket of the screen thrown up for air.
It didn't look much like----

"Where's the other feller?"

"Gone to Dawson."

"With that lame leg?"

"Went on horseback."

It had as grand a sound as it would have in the States to say a man had
departed in a glass coach drawn by six cream-coloured horses. But he
had been "in a hell of a hurry," evidently. Men were exchanging
glances.

"Funny nobody saw him."

"When'd he light out?"

"About five this morning."

Oh, that explained it. The people who were up at five were abed now.
And the group round the tent whispered that Austin had done the unheard
of--had gone off and left the night gang at three o'clock in the
morning. They had said so as the day shift turned out.

"But how'd the young feller get such a thing as a horse?"

"Hired it off a stranger out from Dawson yesterday," Maudie answered
shortly.

"Oh, that Frenchman--Count--a--Whirligig?"

But Maudie