r's father; back to that far day when
the blood in the veins of his race was "just dog," and he romped with
children, and listened to the call of woman, and worshipped at the
shrine of humankind. And now the woman had run quickly to the stove,
and was back again with a dish of warm water and a soft cloth, and was
bathing his head, talking to him all the time in that gentle,
half-sobbing voice of pity and of love. He closed his eyes--no longer
afraid. A great sigh heaved out of his body. He wanted to put out his
tongue and lick the slim white hands that were bringing him peace and
comfort. And then the strangest thing of all happened. In the crib the
baby sat up and began to prattle. It was a new note to Miki, a new song
of Life's spring-tide to him, but it thrilled him as nothing else in
all the world had ever thrilled him before. He opened his eyes
wide--and whined.

A laugh of joy--new and strange even to herself--came into the woman's
voice, and she ran to the crib and returned with the baby in her arms.
She knelt down beside him again, and the baby, at sight of this strange
plaything on the floor, thrust out its little arms, and kicked its tiny
moccasined feet, and cooed and laughed and squirmed until Miki strained
at his thongs to get a little nearer that he might touch this wonderful
creature with his nose. He forgot his pain. He no longer sensed the
agony of his bruised and beaten jaws. He did not feel the numbness of
his tightly bound and frozen legs. Every instinct in him was centred in
these two.

And the woman, now, was beautiful. She UNDERSTOOD; and the gentle heart
throbbed in her bosom, forgetful of The Brute. Her eyes glowed with the
soft radiance of stars. Into her pale cheeks came a sweet flush. She
sat the baby down, and with the cloth and warm water continued to bathe
Miki's head. Le Beau, had he been human, must have worshipped her then
as she knelt there, all that was pure and beautiful in motherhood, an
angel of mercy, radiant for a moment in her forgetfulness of HIM. And
Le Beau DID enter--and see her--so quietly that for a space she did not
realize his presence; and with him staring down on her she continued to
talk and laugh and half sob, and the baby kicked and prattled and flung
out its little arms wildly in the joy of these exciting moments.

Le Beau's thick lips drew back in an ugly leer, and he gave a savage
curse. Nanette flinched as if struck a blow.

"Get up, you fool!" he snarled.