umbled forth as does
the surf from an ocean cavern.

'I am the Bear,--the Silver-Tip and the Son of the Silver-Tip! When my
voice was yet as a girl's, I slew the lynx, the moose, and the cariboo;
when it whistled like the wolverines from under a cache, I crossed the
Mountains of the South and slew three of the White Rivers; when it
became as the roar of the Chinook, I met the bald-faced grizzly, but
gave no trail.' At this he paused, his hand significantly sweeping
across his hideous scars.

'I am not as the Fox. My tongue is frozen like the river. I cannot make
great talk. My words are few. The Fox says great deeds are afoot this
night. Good! Talk flows from his tongue like the freshets of the
spring, but he is chary of deeds.

'This night shall I do battle with the Wolf. I shall slay him, and
Zarinska shall sit by my fire. The Bear has spoken.' Though pandemonium
raged about him, 'Scruff' Mackenzie held his ground.

Aware how useless was the rifle at close quarters, he slipped both
holsters to the fore, ready for action, and drew his mittens till his
hands were barely shielded by the elbow gauntlets. He knew there was no
hope in attack en masse, but true to his boast, was prepared to die
with teeth fast-locked. But the Bear restrained his comrades, beating
back the more impetuous with his terrible fist. As the tumult began to
die away, Mackenzie shot a glance in the direction of Zarinska. It was
a superb picture. She was leaning forward on her snow-shoes, lips apart
and nostrils quivering, like a tigress about to spring. Her great black
eyes were fixed upon her tribesmen, in fear and defiance. So extreme
the tension, she had forgotten to breathe. With one hand pressed
spasmodically against her breast and the other as tightly gripped about
the dog-whip, she was as turned to stone. Even as he looked, relief
came to her. Her muscles loosened; with a heavy sigh she settled back,
giving him a look of more than love--of worship.

Thling-Tinneh was trying to speak, but his people drowned his voice.
Then Mackenzie strode forward. The Fox opened his mouth to a piercing
yell, but so savagely did Mackenzie whirl upon him that he shrank back,
his larynx all agurgle with suppressed sound. His discomfiture was
greeted with roars of laughter, and served to soothe his fellows to a
listening mood.

'Brothers! The White Man, whom ye have chosen to call the Wolf, came
among you with fair words. He was not like the Innuit; he spok