the 'Russian Princess' gave the unique rhythm to
limb and body. A chorus of I-told-you-so's shook the squared
roof-beams, when lo! it was noticed that 'Aurora Borealis' and another
masque, the 'Spirit of the Pole,' were performing the same trick
equally well. And when two twin 'Sun-Dogs' and a 'Frost Queen' followed
suit, a second assistant was dispatched to the aid of the man at the
scales.

Bettles came off trail in the midst of the excitement, descending upon
them in a hurricane of frost. His rimed brows turned to cataracts as he
whirled about; his mustache, still frozen, seemed gemmed with diamonds
and turned the light in varicolored rays; while the flying feet slipped
on the chunks of ice which rattled from his moccasins and German socks.
A Northland dance is quite an informal affair, the men of the creeks
and trails having lost whatever fastidiousness they might have at one
time possessed; and only in the high official circles are conventions
at all observed. Here, caste carried no significance. Millionaires and
paupers, dog-drivers and mounted policemen joined hands with 'ladies in
the center,' and swept around the circle performing most remarkable
capers. Primitive in their pleasure, boisterous and rough, they
displayed no rudeness, but rather a crude chivalry more genuine than
the most polished courtesy.

In his quest for the 'Greek Dancer,' Cal Galbraith managed to get into
the same set with the 'Russian Princess,' toward whom popular suspicion
had turned.

But by the time he had guided her through one dance, he was willing not
only to stake his millions that she was not Freda, but that he had had
his arm about her waist before. When or where he could not tell, but
the puzzling sense of familiarity so wrought upon him that he turned
his attention to the discovery of her identity. Malemute Kid might have
aided him instead of occasionally taking the Princess for a few turns
and talking earnestly to her in low tones. But it was Jack Harrington
who paid the 'Russian Princess' the most assiduous court. Once he drew
Cal Galbraith aside and hazarded wild guesses as to who she was, and
explained to him that he was going in to win. That rankled the Circle
City King, for man is not by nature monogamic, and he forgot both
Madeline and Freda in the new quest.

It was soon noised about that the 'Russian Princess' was not Freda
Moloof. Interest deepened. Here was a fresh enigma. They knew Freda
though they could not f