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sufficient imagination to achieve results with his limited
materials。 The condition of tetanus； which had marked his
paroxysms； simplified matters； and he made but one test。 The
coffee yielded nothing； nor did the beans。 To the biscuits he
devoted the utmost care。 Amos； who knew nothing of chemistry；
looked on with steady curiosity。 But Jees Uck； who had boundless
faith in the white man's wisdom； and especially in Neil Bonner's
wisdom； and who not only knew nothing but knew that she knew
nothing watched his face rather than his hands。
Step by step he eliminated possibilities； until he came to the
final test。 He was using a thin medicine vial for a tube； and this
he held between him and the light； watching the slow precipitation
of a salt through the solution contained in the tube。 He said
nothing； but he saw what he had expected to see。 And Jees Uck； her
eyes riveted on his face； saw something too；something that made
her spring like a tigress upon Amos； and with splendid suppleness
and strength bend his body back across her knee。 Her knife was out
of its sheaf and uplifted； glinting in the lamplight。 Amos was
snarling； but Bonner intervened ere the blade could fall。
〃That's a good girl； Jees Uck。 But never mind。 Let him go！〃
She dropped the man obediently； though with protest writ large on
her face； and his body thudded to the floor。 Bonner nudged him
with his moccasined foot。
〃Get up； Amos！〃 he commanded。 〃You've got to pack an outfit yet
to…night and hit the trail。〃
〃You don't mean to say〃 Amos blurted savagely。
〃I mean to say that you tried to kill me；〃 Neil went on in cold；
even tones。 〃I mean to say that you killed Birdsall； for all the
Company believes he killed himself。 You used strychnine in my
case。 God knows with what you fixed him。 Now I can't hang you。
You're too near dead as it is。 But Twenty Mile is too small for
the pair of us； and you've got to mush。 It's two hundred miles to
Holy Cross。 You can make it if you're careful not to over…exert。
I'll give you grub； a sled； and three dogs。 You'll be as safe as
if you were in jail； for you can't get out of the country。 And
I'll give you one chance。 You're almost dead。 Very well。 I shall
send no word to the Company until the spring。 In the meantime； the
thing for you to do is to die。 Now MUSH！〃
〃You go to bed！〃 Jees Uck insisted； when Amos had churned away into
the night towards Holy Cross。 〃You sick man yet； Neil。〃
〃And you're a good girl； Jees Uck；〃 he answered。 〃And here's my
hand on it。 But you must go home。〃
〃You don't like me；〃 she said simply。
He smiled； helped her on with her PARKA； and led her to the door。
〃Only too well； Jees Uck；〃 he said softly； 〃only too well。〃
After that the pall of the Arctic night fell deeper and blacker on
the land。 Neil Bonner discovered that he had failed to put proper
valuation upon even the sullen face of the murderous and death…
stricken Amos。 It became very lonely at Twenty Mile。 〃For the
love of God； Prentiss； send me a man；〃 he wrote to the agent at
Fort Hamilton； three hundred miles up river。 Six weeks later the
Indian messenger brought back a reply。 It was characteristic：
〃Hell。 Both feet frozen。 Need him myselfPrentiss。〃
To make matters worse； most of the Toyaats were in the back country
on the flanks of a caribou herd； and Jees Uck was with them。
Removing to a distance seemed to bring her closer than ever； and
Neil Bonner found himself picturing her； day by day； in camp and on
trail。 It is not good to be alone。 Often he went out of the quiet
store； bare…headed and frantic； and shook his fist at the blink of
day that came over the southern sky…line。 And on still； cold
nights he left his bed and stumbled into the frost； where he
assaulted the silence at the top of his lungs； as though it were
some tangible； sentiment thing that he might arouse； or he shouted
at the sleeping dogs till they howled and howled again。 One shaggy
brute he brought into the post； playing that it was the new man
sent by Prentiss。 He strove to make it sleep decently under
blankets at nights and to sit at table and eat as a man should； but
the beast； mere domesticated wolf that it was； rebelled； and sought
out dark corners and snarled and bit him in the leg； and was
finally beaten and driven forth。
Then the trick of personification seized upon Neil Bonner and
mastered him。 All the forces of his environment metamorphosed into
living； breathing entities and came to live with him。 He recreated
the primitive pantheon； reared an altar to the sun and burned
candle fat and bacon grease thereon； and in the unfenced yard； by
the long…legged cache； made a frost devil； which he was wont to
make faces at and mock when the mercury oozed down into the bulb。
All this in play； of course。 He said it to himself that it was in
play； and repeated it over and over to make sure； unaware that
madness is ever prone to express itself in make…believe and play。
One midwinter day； Father Champreau； a Jesuit missionary； pulled
into Twenty Mile。 Bonner fell upon him and dragged him into the
post； and clung to him and wept； until the priest wept with him
from sheer compassion。 Then Bonner became madly hilarious and made
lavish entertainment； swearing valiantly that his guest should not
depart。 But Father Champreau was pressing to Salt Water on urgent
business for his order； and pulled out next morning； with Bonner's
blood threatened on his head。
And the threat was in a fair way toward realization； when the
Toyaats returned from their long hunt to the winter camp。 They had
many furs； and there was much trading and stir at Twenty Mile。
Also； Jees Uck came to buy beads and scarlet cloths and things； and
Bonner began to find himself again。 He fought for a week against
her。 Then the end came one night when she rose to leave。 She had
not forgotten her repulse； and the pride that drove Spike O'Brien
on to complete the North…West Passage by land was her pride。
〃I go now；〃 she said； 〃good…night； Neil。〃
But he came up behind her。 〃Nay； it is not well；〃 he said。
And as she turned her face toward his with a sudden joyful flash；
he bent forward； slowly and gravely； as it were a sacred thing； and
kissed her on the lips。 The Toyaats had never taught her the
meaning of a kiss upon the lips； but she understood and was glad。
With the coming of Jees Uck； at once things brightened up。 She was
regal in her happiness； a source of unending delight。 The
elemental workings of her mind and her naive little ways made an
immense sum of pleasurable surprise to the over…civilized man that
had stooped to catch her up。 Not alone was she solace to his
loneliness； but her primitiveness rejuvenated his jaded mind。 It
was as though； after long wandering； he had returned to pillow his
head in the lap of Mother Earth。 In short； in Jees Uck he found
the youth of the w