alight with interest. Finally he conquered. The animal allowed his
ears to be rubbed, his nose to be batted. At length, well content, he
lay down by his new master within reach of the hand that rested
caressingly on his head. The Indian girl stole softly away. At the
fireside she seated herself and gazed in the coals. Presently the marvel
of two tears welled in her eyes. She blinked them away and set about
supper.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Whether it was that the prospect of getting about, or the diversion of
the dog was responsible for the change, Dick's cheerfulness markedly
increased in the next few days. For hours he would fool with the animal,
whom he had named Billy, after a hunting companion, teaching him to
shake hands, to speak, to wrinkle his nose in a doggy grin, to lie down
at command, and all the other tricks useful and ornamental that go to
make up the fanciest kind of a dog education. The mistakes and successes
of his new friend seemed to amuse him hugely. Often from the tent burst
the sounds of inextinguishable mirth. May-may-gwan, peeping, saw the
young man as she had first seen him, clear-eyed, laughing, the wrinkles
of humour deepening about his eyes, his white teeth flashing, his brow
untroubled. Three days she hovered thus on the outer edge of the renewed
good feeling, then timidly essayed an advance.

Unobtrusive, she slipped inside the teepee's flap. The dog sat on his
haunches, his head to one side in expectation.

"The dog is a good dog," she said, her breath choking her.

Apparently the young man had not heard.

"It will be well to name the dog that he may answer to his name," she
ventured again.

Dick, abruptly gripped by the incomprehensible obsession, uneasy as at
something of which he only waited the passing, resentful because of the
discomfort this caused him, unable to break through the artificial
restraint that enveloped his spirit, lifted his eyes suddenly, dead and
lifeless, to hers.

"It is time to lift the net," he said.

The girl made no more advances. She moved almost automatically about her
accustomed tasks, preparing the materials for what remained to be done.

Promptly on the seventh day, with much preparation and precaution, Dick
moved. He had now to suffer the girl's assistance. When he first stood
upright, he was at once attacked by a severe dizziness, which would have
caused a fall had not May-may-gwan steadied him. With difficulty he
hobbled to a seat outside. E