r is greater than love, and who am I that I should blacken my
father?" Sister Alberta journeyed all the way up from Holy Cross on the
first steamer, and to no better end.

"My father wanders in the thick and endless forests," said El-Soo. "And
there will he wander, with the lost souls crying, till the debt be paid.
Then, and not until then, may he go on to the house of the Great Father."

"And you believe this?" Sister Alberta asked.

"I do not know," El-Soo made answer. "It was my father's belief."

Sister Alberta shrugged her shoulders incredulously.

"Who knows but that the things we believe come true?" El-Soo went on.
"Why not? The next world to you may be heaven and harps . . . because
you have believed heaven and harps; to my father the next world may be a
large house where he will sit always at table feasting with God."

"And you?" Sister Alberta asked. "What is your next world?"

El-Soo hesitated but for a moment. "I should like a little of both," she
said. "I should like to see your face as well as the face of my father."

The day of the auction came. Tana-naw Station was populous. As was
their custom, the tribes had gathered to await the salmon-run, and in the
meantime spent the time in dancing and frolicking, trading and gossiping.
Then there was the ordinary sprinkling of white adventurers, traders, and
prospectors, and, in addition, a large number of white men who had come
because of curiosity or interest in the affair.

It had been a backward spring, and the salmon were late in running. This
delay but keyed up the interest. Then, on the day of the auction, the
situation was made tense by Akoon. He arose and made public and solemn
announcement that whosoever bought El-Soo would forthwith and immediately
die. He flourished the Winchester in his hand to indicate the manner of
the taking-off. El-Soo was angered thereat; but he refused to speak with
her, and went to the trading post to lay in extra ammunition.

The first salmon was caught at ten o'clock in the evening, and at
midnight the auction began. It took place on top of the high bank
alongside the Yukon. The sun was due north just below the horizon, and
the sky was lurid red. A great crowd gathered about the table and the
two chairs that stood near the edge of the bank. To the fore were many
white men and several chiefs. And most prominently to the fore, rifle in
hand, stood Akoon. Tommy, at El-Soo's request, served as auction