d once and forever
thrown Spurling's game away. There was something Satanic and
suggestive of evil about those green and jasper eyes, and the manner
in which they blinked out upon him from the furious yellow head. Were
they prompting him to crime, saying, "Why don't you fire? He can't
defend himself; see, his back is turned?" No, not that. He
half-believed that the brute was endowed with human intelligence, and
had betrayed his late master of set purpose--perhaps, in revenge for
the many beatings he had received on the trail from Selkirk to Murder
Point. There was a vileness in the creature's look that was degrading
and stirred up hatred--and surely, the lowest kind of enmity which
can be entertained by man is toward a unit of the dumb creation. That
he should feel so, humiliated and angered Granger. Was there not
enough of ignominy for him to endure without that? He drew his
revolver, took aim at this yellow devil--but could not fire. The beast
did not cringe and run away, zigzagging to avoid the bullets, stooping
low on its legs, as is the habit of huskies when firearms are pointed
at them; it sat there patiently blinking, a little in advance of its
four grey comrades, with a mingled expression of amusement and boredom
in its attitude, like a sleepy old bachelor uncle at a Christmas
entertainment when Clown and Harlequin commence their threadbare jests
and fooleries. He might have been yawning and saying to himself, "Hang
it all! Why do I stay? I know the confounded rubbish by heart--all
that these fellows will do and say."

Granger's hand dropped to his side; this wolf-dog looked so far from
ignorant--so much wiser than himself. Could it be that he also was
playing in the game? Was it possible that he also was intent on
helping Spurling? Well, then, he should have his chance.

For himself the season for deception was at an end; he had lied to
gain time for the fugitive, now let him see what truth could effect.
He waded through the snow to Strangeways, tapped him on the shoulder,
and was made painfully aware of the opinion held of him by the way in
which the corporal screwed his shoulder aside.

"I suppose I seem to you a pretty mean kind of a beast?"

"I suppose you do."

"I seem so to myself; but I have an excuse to make--that this man once
saved my life."

"So you're a hero in disguise?"

"No, but I couldn't go back on a man who had done that."

"I fail to see that that is a reason why you should have lie