es flashed as she drew herself to
her full height.

"To me, he is _everything_! I would die for him! _I love him!_"

The tense tones rang through the long room where a hundred and fifty
big men sat silent--hypnotized by the intense drama of the scene.

With a lithe, swift movement the half-breed girl raised her hands to
her bosom and tore at the fastenings of her hunting-shirt. There was
the sound of popping buttons, the heavily embroidered shirt flew open,
and there, gleaming cold and gray in the lamplight, upon the warm ivory
of her bared breast lay a naked blade--the broken blade of a sheath
knife!

She broke the cord that held it suspended about her neck and extended
the blade toward the man, uttering but a single word:

"Come!"

And as Bill's eyes fell upon the bit of metal his form stiffened and
his fists clenched.

"I will come--lead on!" he answered For in his mind rang the words of
his solemn promise: "No people of the earth, and nothing that is upon
the earth, nor of the earth, shall prevent me--and one day you will
know that my words are true."

The half-breed girl had already turned away when the man's eyes sought
the eyes of his wife. She was regarding him with a strange, frightened
stare. Her face had turned marble white at his words, and she gasped
uncertainly for breath.

Her pallor alarmed Bill, who stepped toward her with outstretched arms;
but she shrank from his touch and her blue eyes fixed him with their
cold, frightened stare.

"Ethel!" he cried. "Darling--my wife! _I must go!_ It is _The
Promise_!" Unconsciously he repeated the words of the old squaw.
"Wa-ha-ta-na-ta, in the last extremity of her need, is calling--and I
must go to her.

"Oh, can't you see?" he cried suddenly, as the look of horror deepened
upon the face of his wife. "Darling--only long enough to give her
aid--then I will return! Surely, surely, dear, you trust me! You will
believe in me--just this once! When I return to you I will explain
all--I can't wait, now--good-by!"

He turned to follow the Indian girl, but before he could take a step
his wife's arms were about his neck and her words came in great choking
sobs:

"No! No! No! You are _mine_! You cannot go! You will not leave me at
the altar! Oh, if you loved me--if you loved me, you could not go!"

Bill's arms were about her, and the words rushed from his lips: "Love
you! I love you more than life itself--I live for _you_! But I
promised--my word has pass