.
Bivens was still in an ugly mood and refused to leave his stateroom or
allow any one but the doctor to enter. He was suffering intense pain
from his frost-bitten fingers and toes and ears, and still cherished
his grudge against Stuart. He refused to believe there was the
slightest necessity for such high-handed measures as he had dared to
use. He had carefully concealed from both the doctor and Nan just what
had occurred between them on the trip that day.

On the second morning after the freeze a light dawned on the little
man's sulking spirits. During the night the ice softened and a strong
southerly breeze had swept every piece of it to sea.

Again the bay was a blue, shimmering mirror, reflecting the white
flying clouds, and the marshes rang with the resounding cries of
chattering wild fowl.

It was just nine o'clock, and Nan was busy humming a song and setting
the table for breakfast, when Stuart heard the distant drum-beat of a
tender's engine. The guide was returning from the shore, or the lost
tender had come. If it were the guide he would probably bring news of
the other men. His course lay over their trail. He threw off his cook's
apron, put on his coat, sprang out of the galley, and called below:

"A tender is coming, Nan. Don't come on deck until I tell you."

The smile died from her beautiful face as she answered slowly:

"All right, Jim."

In a moment he came back down the companion-way and spoke in quiet
tones:

"It's just as I expected. They are both dead. The guide found them on
the marsh over there, frozen."

"The marsh you and Cal were on?" she asked breathlessly.

"Yes. Both of them were kneeling. They died with their hands clasped in
prayer."

"And you saved Cal from that?" she gasped, and turning, fled into her
stateroom.

He went in to change his clothes and help lift the bodies on deck.
Through the panelled wall he heard Nan softly sobbing.

Bivens refused at first to believe the doctor's startling announcement.
He hurriedly dressed, came on deck, and for five minutes stood staring
into the white, dead faces.

Without a word he went below and asked the doctor to call Stuart.

When his old friend entered, he took his hand quietly and for once in
his life the little, black, piercing eyes were swimming in tears as he
spoke.

"You're a great man, Jim, and what's bigger, you're a good one. If God
will forgive me for the foolish things I said and did yesterday, I'll
try to make i