ret.

Ned Trent locked his lips in a purposeful straight line of silence. To
such an outrage there could be nothing to say. The Factor jerked his
watch to the table.

"I said five minutes," he repeated. "I mean it."

[Illustration: "GO TO THE DEVIL!" Scene from the play.]

The young man leaned against the side of the window, his arms folded,
his back to the room. Outside, the varied life of the Post went
forward under his eyes. He even noted with a surface interest the fact
that out across the river a loon was floating, and remarked that
never before had he seen one of those birds so far north. Galen Albret
struck the table with the flat of his hand.

"Done!" he cried, "This is the last chance I shall give you. Speak at
this instant or accept the consequences!"

Ned Trent turned sharply, as though breaking a thread that bound him
to the distant prospect beyond the window. For an instant he stared
enigmatically at his opponent. Then in the sweetest tones,

"Oh, go to the devil!" said he, and began to walk deliberately toward
the older man.

There lay between the window and the head of the table perhaps a dozen
ordinary steps, for the room was large. The young man took them
slowly, his eyes fixed with burning intensity on the seated figure,
the muscles of his locomotion contracting and relaxing with the
smooth, stealthy continuity of a cat. Galen Albret again laid hand on
his revolver.

"Come no nearer," he commanded.

Me-en-gan left the door and glided along the wall. But the table
intervened between him and the Free Trader.

The latter paid no attention to the Factor's command. Galen Albret
suddenly raised his weapon from the table.

"Stop, or I'll fire!" he cried, sharply.

"I mean just that," said Ned Trent between his clenched teeth.

But ten feet separated the two men. Galen Albret levelled the
revolver. Ned Trent, watchful, prepared to spring. Me-en-gan, near the
foot of the table, gathered himself for attack.

Then suddenly the Free Trader relaxed his muscles, straightened his
back, and returned deliberately to the window. Facing about in
astonishment to discover the reason for this sudden change of
decision, the other two men looked into the face of Virginia Albret,
standing in the doorway of the other room.

"Father!" she cried.

"You must go back," said Ned Trent, speaking clearly and collectedly,
in the hope of imposing his will on her obvious excitement. "This is
not an affair in which