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She looked at him in sudden alarm。 He had picked up the shot…gun
dropped by Dennin and was thrusting in the shells。
〃What are you going to do？〃 she cried； rising swiftly from her
bending position。
Hans did not answer； but she saw the shot…gun going to his
shoulder。 She grasped the muzzle with her hand and threw it up。
〃Leave me alone！〃 he cried hoarsely。
He tried to jerk the weapon away from her； but she came in closer
and clung to him。
〃Hans！ Hans！ Wake up！〃 she cried。 〃Don't be crazy！〃
〃He killed Dutchy and Harkey！〃 was her husband's reply； 〃and I am
going to kill him。〃
〃But that is wrong；〃 she objected。 〃There is the law。〃
He sneered his incredulity of the law's potency in such a region；
but he merely iterated； dispassionately； doggedly； 〃He killed
Dutchy and Harkey。〃
Long she argued it with him； but the argument was one…sided； for he
contented himself with repeating again and again； 〃He killed Dutchy
and Harkey。〃 But she could not escape from her childhood training
nor from the blood that was in her。 The heritage of law was hers；
and right conduct； to her； was the fulfilment of the law。 She
could see no other righteous course to pursue。 Hans's taking the
law in his own hands was no more justifiable than Dennin's deed。
Two wrongs did not make a right； she contended； and there was only
one way to punish Dennin； and that was the legal way arranged by
society。 At last Hans gave in to her。
〃All right；〃 he said。 〃Have it your own way。 And to…morrow or
next day look to see him kill you and me。〃
She shook her head and held out her hand for the shot…gun。 He
started to hand it to her； then hesitated。
〃Better let me shoot him；〃 he pleaded。
Again she shook her head； and again he started to pass her the gun；
when the door opened； and an Indian； without knocking； came in。 A
blast of wind and flurry of snow came in with him。 They turned and
faced him； Hans still holding the shot…gun。 The intruder took in
the scene without a quiver。 His eyes embraced the dead and wounded
in a sweeping glance。 No surprise showed in his face； not even
curiosity。 Harkey lay at his feet； but he took no notice of him。
So far as he was concerned； Harkey's body did not exist。
〃Much wind；〃 the Indian remarked by way of salutation。 〃All well？
Very well？〃
Hans； still grasping the gun； felt sure that the Indian attributed
to him the mangled corpses。 He glanced appealingly at his wife。
〃Good morning； Negook；〃 she said； her voice betraying her effort。
〃No； not very well。 Much trouble。〃
〃Good…by； I go now； much hurry〃； the Indian said； and without
semblance of haste； with great deliberation stepping clear of a red
pool on the floor； he opened the door and went out。
The man and woman looked at each other。
〃He thinks we did it；〃 Hans gasped； 〃that I did it。〃
Edith was silent for a space。 Then she said； briefly； in a
businesslike way：
〃Never mind what he thinks。 That will come after。 At present we
have two graves to dig。 But first of all； we've got to tie up
Dennin so he can't escape。〃
Hans refused to touch Dennin； but Edith lashed him securely； hand
and foot。 Then she and Hans went out into the snow。 The ground
was frozen。 It was impervious to a blow of the pick。 They first
gathered wood； then scraped the snow away and on the frozen surface
built a fire。 When the fire had burned for an hour； several inches
of dirt had thawed。 This they shovelled out； and then built a
fresh fire。 Their descent into the earth progressed at the rate of
two or three inches an hour。
It was hard and bitter work。 The flurrying snow did not permit the
fire to burn any too well； while the wind cut through their clothes
and chilled their bodies。 They held but little conversation。 The
wind interfered with speech。 Beyond wondering at what could have
been Dennin's motive； they remained silent； oppressed by the horror
of the tragedy。 At one o'clock； looking toward the cabin； Hans
announced that he was hungry。
〃No； not now； Hans；〃 Edith answered。 〃I couldn't go back alone
into that cabin the way it is； and cook a meal。〃
At two o'clock Hans volunteered to go with her； but she held him to
his work； and four o'clock found the two graves completed。 They
were shallow； not more than two feet deep； but they would serve the
purpose。 Night had fallen。 Hans got the sled； and the two dead
men were dragged through the darkness and storm to their frozen
sepulchre。 The funeral procession was anything but a pageant。 The
sled sank deep into the drifted snow and pulled hard。 The man and
the woman had eaten nothing since the previous day； and were weak
from hunger and exhaustion。 They had not the strength to resist
the wind； and at times its buffets hurled them off their feet。 On
several occasions the sled was overturned； and they were compelled
to reload it with its sombre freight。 The last hundred feet to the
graves was up a steep slope； and this they took on all fours； like
sled…dogs； making legs of their arms and thrusting their hands into
the snow。 Even so； they were twice dragged backward by the weight
of the sled； and slid and fell down the hill； the living and the
dead； the haul…ropes and the sled； in ghastly entanglement。
〃To…morrow I will put up head…boards with their names；〃 Hans said；
when the graves were filled in。
Edith was sobbing。 A few broken sentences had been all she was
capable of in the way of a funeral service； and now her husband was
compelled to half…carry her back to the cabin。
Dennin was conscious。 He had rolled over and over on the floor in
vain efforts to free himself。 He watched Hans and Edith with
glittering eyes； but made no attempt to speak。 Hans still refused
to touch the murderer； and sullenly watched Edith drag him across
the floor to the men's bunk…room。 But try as she would； she could
not lift him from the floor into his bunk。
〃Better let me shoot him； and we'll have no more trouble；〃 Hans
said in final appeal。
Edith shook her head and bent again to her task。 To her surprise
the body rose easily； and she knew Hans had relented and was
helping her。 Then came the cleansing of the kitchen。 But the
floor still shrieked the tragedy； until Hans planed the surface of
the stained wood away and with the shavings made a fire in the
stove。
The days came and went。 There was much of darkness and silence；
broken only by the storms and the thunder on the beach of the
freezing surf。 Hans was obedient to Edith's slightest order。 All
his splendid initiative had vanished。 She had elected to deal with
Dennin in her way； and so he left the whole matter in her hands。
The murderer was a constant menace。 At all times there was the
chance that he might free himself from his bonds； and they were