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dying slowly away。
It was fit for hell。 And Leclere； with fiendish ken； seemed to
divine each particular nerve and heartstring； and with long wails
and tremblings and sobbing minors to make it yield up its last
shred of grief。 It was frightful； and for twenty…four hours after；
Batard was nervous and unstrung； starting at common sounds；
tripping over his own shadow； but； withal； vicious and masterful
with his team…mates。 Nor did he show signs of a breaking spirit。
Rather did he grow more grim and taciturn； biding his time with an
inscrutable patience that began to puzzle and weigh upon Leclere。
The dog would lie in the firelight； motionless； for hours； gazing
straight before him at Leclere； and hating him with his bitter
eyes。
Often the man felt that he had bucked against the very essence of
lifethe unconquerable essence that swept the hawk down out of the
sky like a feathered thunderbolt； that drove the great grey goose
across the zones； that hurled the spawning salmon through two
thousand miles of boiling Yukon flood。 At such times he felt
impelled toexpress his own unconquerable essence； and with strong
drink； wild music； and Batard； he indulged in vast orgies； wherein
he pitted his puny strength in the face of things； and challenged
all that was； and had been； and was yet to be。
〃Dere is somet'ing dere；〃 he affirmed； when the rhythmed vagaries
of his mind touched the secret chords of Batard's being and brought
forth the long lugubrious howl。 〃Ah pool eet out wid bot' my
han's； so； an' so。 Ha！ ha！ Eet is fonee！ Eet is ver' fonee！ De
priest chant； de womans pray； de mans swear； de leetle bird go
peep…peep； Batard； heem go yow…yowan' eet is all de ver' same
t'ing。 Ha！ ha！〃
Father Gautier； a worthy priest； one reproved him with instances of
concrete perdition。 He never reproved him again。
〃Eet may be so； mon pere；〃 he made answer。 〃An' Ah t'ink Ah go
troo hell a…snappin'； lak de hemlock troo de fire。 Eh； mon pere？〃
But all bad things come to an end as well as good； and so with
Black Leclere。 On the summer low water； in a poling boat； he left
McDougall for Sunrise。 He left McDougall in company with Timothy
Brown； and arrived at Sunrise by himself。 Further； it was known
that they had quarrelled just previous to pulling out； for the
Lizzie； a wheezy ten…ton stern…wheeler； twenty…four hours behind；
beat Leclere in by three days。 And when he did get in； it was with
a clean…drilled bullet…hole through his shoulder muscle； and a tale
of ambush and murder。
A strike had been made at Sunrise； and things had changed
considerably。 With the infusion of several hundred gold…seekers； a
deal of whisky； and half…a…dozen equipped gamblers； the missionary
had seen the page of his years of labour with the Indians wiped
clean。 When the squaws became preoccupied with cooking beans and
keeping the fire going for the wifeless miners； and the bucks with
swapping their warm furs for black bottles and broken time…pieces；
he took to his bed； said 〃Bless me〃 several times； and departed to
his final accounting in a rough…hewn； oblong box。 Whereupon the
gamblers moved their roulette and faro tables into the mission
house； and the click of chips and clink of glasses went up from
dawn till dark and to dawn again。
Now Timothy Brown was well beloved among these adventurers of the
North。 The one thing against him was his quick temper and ready
fista little thing； for which his kind heart and forgiving hand
more than atoned。 On the other hand； there was nothing to atone
for Black Leclere。 He was 〃black；〃 as more than one remembered
deed bore witness； while he was as well hated as the other was
beloved。 So the men of Sunrise put an antiseptic dressing on his
shoulder and haled him before Judge Lynch。
It was a simple affair。 He had quarrelled with Timothy Brown at
McDougall。 With Timothy Brown he had left McDougall。 Without
Timothy Brown he had arrived at Sunrise。 Considered in the light
of his evilness； the unanimous conclusion was that he had killed
Timothy Brown。 On the other hand； Leclere acknowledged their
facts； but challenged their conclusion； and gave his own
explanation。 Twenty miles out of Sunrise he and Timothy Brown were
poling the boat along the rocky shore。 From that shore two rifle…
shots rang out。 Timothy Brown pitched out of the boat and went
down bubbling red； and that was the last of Timothy Brown。 He；
Leclere； pitched into the bottom of the boat with a stinging
shoulder。 He lay very quiet； peeping at the shore。 After a time
two Indians stuck up their heads and came out to the water's edge；
carrying between them a birch…bark canoe。 As they launched it；
Leclere let fly。 He potted one； who went over the side after the
manner of Timothy Brown。 The other dropped into the bottom of the
canoe； and then canoe and poling boat went down the stream in a
drifting battle。 After that they hung up on a split current； and
the canoe passed on one side of an island； the poling boat on the
other。 That was the last of the canoe； and he came on into
Sunrise。 Yes； from the way the Indian in the canoe jumped； he was
sure he had potted him。 That was all。 This explanation was not
deemed adequate。 They gave him ten hours' grace while the Lizzie
steamed down to investigate。 Ten hours later she came wheezing
back to Sunrise。 There had been nothing to investigate。 No
evidence had been found to back up his statements。 They told him
to make his will； for he possessed a fifty…thousand dollar Sunrise
claim； and they were a law…abiding as well as a law…giving breed。
Leclere shrugged his shoulders。 〃Bot one t'ing；〃 he said； 〃a
leetle； w'at you call； favoura leetle favour； dat is eet。 I gif
my feefty t'ousan' dollair to de church。 I gif my husky dog；
Batard； to de devil。 De leetle favour？ Firs' you hang heem； an'
den you hang me。 Eet is good； eh？〃
Good it was； they agreed； that Hell's Spawn should break trail for
his master across the last divide； and the court was adjourned down
to the river bank； where a big spruce tree stood by itself。
Slackwater Charley put a hangman's knot in the end of a hauling…
line； and the noose was slipped over Leclere's head and pulled
tight around his neck。 His hands were tied behind his back； and he
was assisted to the top of a cracker box。 Then the running end of
the line was passed over an over…hanging branch； drawn taut； and
made fast。 To kick the box out from under would leave him dancing
on the air。
〃Now for the dog；〃 said Webster Shaw； sometime mining engineer。
〃You'll have to rope him； Slackwater。〃
Leclere grinned。 Slackwater took a chew of tobacco； rove a running
noose； and proceeded leisurely to coil a few turns in his hand。 He
paused once or twice to brush particularly offensive mosquitoes
from off his face。 Everybody was brushing mosquitoes； except
Leclere； about whose head a small cloud was visible。 Even