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clawing in elemental brutishness。
But Leclere caught Batard behind the ear with a blow from his fist；
knocking him over； and； for the instant； stunning him。 Then Leclere
leaped upon him with his feet； and sprang up and down； striving to grind
him into the earth。 Both Batard's hind legs were broken ere Leclere
ceased that he might catch breath。
〃A…a…ah！ A…a…ah！〃 he screamed； incapable of speech； shaking his fist；
through sheer impotence of throat and larynx。
But Batard was indomitable。 He lay there in a helpless welter； his lip
feebly lifting and writhing to the snarl he had not the strength to utter。
Leclere kicked him； and the tired jaws closed on the ankle； but could not
break the skin。
Then Leclere picked up the whip and proceeded almost to cut him to
pieces； at each stroke of the lash crying： 〃Dis taim Ah break you！ Eh？
By GAR！ Ah break you！〃
In the end； exhausted； fainting from loss of blood； he crumpled up and
fell by his victim； and when the wolf…dogs closed in to take their
vengeance； with his last consciousness dragged his body on top of Batard
to shield him from their fangs。
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This occurred not far from Sunrise； and the missionary； opening the
door to Leclere a few hours later； was surprised to note the absence of
Batard from the team。 Nor did his surprise lessen when Leclere threw
back the robes from the sled； gathered Batard into his arms and staggered
across the threshold。 It happened that the surgeon of McQuestion； who
was something of a gadabout； was up on a gossip； and between them they
proceeded to repair Leclere；
〃Merci； non；〃 said he。 〃Do you fix firs' de dog。 To die？ NON。 Eet
is not good。 Becos' heem Ah mus' yet break。 Dat fo' w'at he mus' not
die。〃
The surgeon called it a marvel； the missionary a miracle； that Leclere
pulled through at all； and so weakened was he； that in the spring the fever
got him； and he went on his back again。 Batard had been in even worse
plight； but his grip on life prevailed； and the bones of his hind legs knit；
and his organs righted themselves； during the several weeks he lay
strapped to the floor。 And by the time Leclere； finally convalescent；
sallow and shaky； took the sun by the cabin door； Batard had reasserted his
supremacy among his kind； and brought not only his own team…mates but
the missionary's dogs into subjection。
He moved never a muscle； nor twitched a hair； when； for the first time；
Leclere tottered out on the missionary's arm； and sank down slowly and
with infinite caution on the three…legged stool。
〃BON！〃 he said。 〃BON！ De good sun！〃 And he stretched out his
wasted hands and washed them in the warmth。
Then his gaze fell on the dog； and the old light blazed back in his eyes。
He touched the missionary lightly on the arm。 〃Mon pere； dat is one
beeg devil； dat Batard。 You will bring me one pistol； so； dat Ah drink de
sun in peace。〃
And thenceforth for many days he sat in the sun before the cabin door。
He never dozed； and the pistol lay always across his knees。 Batard had a
way； the first thing each day； of looking for the weapon in its wonted place。
At sight of it he would lift his lip faintly in token that he understood； and
Leclere would lift his own lip in an answering grin。 One day the
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missionary took note of the trick。
〃Bless me！〃 he said。 〃I really believe the brute comprehends。〃
Leclere laughed softly。 〃Look you； mon pere。 Dat w'at Ah now
spik； to dat does he lissen。〃
As if in confirmation； Batard just perceptibly wriggled his lone ear up
to catch the sound。
〃Ah say 'keel'。〃
Batard growled deep down in his throat； the hair bristled along his
neck； and every muscle went tense and expectant。
〃Ah lift de gun； so； like dat。〃 And suiting action to word； he sighted
the pistol at Batard。 Batard； with a single leap； sideways； landed around
the corner of the cabin out of sight。
〃Bless me！〃 he repeated at intervals。 Leclere grinned proudly。
〃But why does he not run away？〃
The Frenchman's shoulders went up in the racial shrug that means all
things from total ignorance to infinite understanding。
〃Then why do you not kill him？〃
Again the shoulders went up。
〃Mon pere；〃 he said after a pause； 〃de taim is not yet。 He is one beeg
devil。 Some taim Ah break heem； so an' so； all to leetle bits。 Hey？
some taim。 BON！〃
A day came when Leclere gathered his dogs together and floated down
in a bateau to Forty Mile； and on to the Porcupine； where he took a
commission from the P。 C。 Company； and went exploring for the better
part of a year。 After that he poled up the Koyokuk to deserted Arctic City；
and later came drifting back； from camp to camp； along the Yukon。 And
during the long months Batard was well lessoned。 He learned many
tortures； and； notably； the torture of hunger； the torture of thirst； the torture
of fire； and； worst of all； the torture of music。
Like the rest of his kind； he did not enjoy music。 It gave him
exquisite anguish； racking him nerve by nerve； and ripping apart every
fibre of his being。 It made him howl； long and wolf…life； as when the
wolves bay the stars on frosty nights。 He could not help howling。 It
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was his one weakness in the contest with Leclere； and it was his shame。
Leclere； on the other hand； passionately loved musicas passionately as he
loved strong drink。 And when his soul clamoured for expression； it
usually uttered itself in one or the other of the two ways； and more usually
in both ways。 And when he had drunk； his brain a…lilt with unsung song
and the devil in him aroused and rampant； his soul found its supreme
utterance in torturing Batard。
〃Now we will haf a leetle museek；〃