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again。 In this way we came to the fire。 Unga was at his side on the

instant。 His lips moved without sound; then he pointed at me; that

Unga might understand。 And after that he lay in the snow; very

still; for a long while。 Even now is he there in the snow。

  'I said no word till I had cooked the ptarmigan。 Then I spoke to

her; in her own tongue; which she had not heard in many years。 She

straightened herself; so; and her eyes were wonder…wide; and she asked

who I was; and where I had learned that speech。

  '〃I am Naass;〃 I said。

  '〃You?〃 she said。 〃You?〃 And she crept close that she might look

upon me。

  '〃Yes;〃 I answered; 〃I am Naass; head man of Akatan; the last of the

blood; as you are the last of the blood。〃

  'And she laughed。 By all the things I have seen and the deeds I have

done may I never hear such a laugh again。 It put the chill to my soul;

sitting there in the White Silence; alone with death and this woman

who laughed。

  '〃Come!〃 I said; for I thought she wandered。 〃Eat of the food and

let us be gone。 It is a far fetch from here to Akatan。〃

  'But she shoved her face in his yellow mane; and laughed till it

seemed the heavens must fall about our ears。 I had thought she would

be overjoyed at the sight of me; and eager to go back to the memory of

old times; but this seemed a strange form to take。

  '〃Come!' I cried; taking her strong by the hand。 〃The way is long

and dark。 Let us hurry!'

  '〃Where?〃 she asked; sitting up; and ceasing from her strange mirth。

  '〃To Akatan;〃 I answered; intent on the light to grow on her face at

the thought。 But it became like his; with a sneer to the lips; and

cold anger。

  '〃Yes;' she said; 〃we will go; hand in hand; to Akatan; you and I。

And we will live in the dirty huts; and eat of the fish and oil; and

bring forth a spawn… a spawn to be proud of all the days of our

life。 We will forget the world and be happy; very happy。 It is good;

most good。 Come! Let us hurry。 Let us go back to Akatan。〃

  'And she ran her hand through his yellow hair; and smiled in a way

which was not good。 And there was no promise in her eyes。

  'I sat silent; and marveled at the strangeness of woman。 I went back

to the night when he dragged her from me and she screamed and tore

at his hair… at his hair which now she played with and would not

leave。 Then I remembered the price and the long years of waiting;

and I gripped her close; and dragged her away as he had done。 And

she held back; even as on that night; and fought like a she…cat for

its whelp。 And when the fire was between us and the man。 I loosed her;

and she sat and listened。 And I told her of all that lay between; of

all that had happened to me on strange seas; of all that I had done in

strange lands; of my weary quest; and the hungry years; and the

promise which had been mine from the first。 Aye; I told all; even to

what had passed that day between the man and me; and in the days yet

young。 And as I spoke I saw the promise grow in her eyes; full and

large like the break of dawn。 And I read pity there; the tenderness of

woman; the love; the heart and the soul of Unga。 And I was a stripling

again; for the look was the look of Unga as she ran up the beach;

laughing; to the home of her mother。 The stern unrest was gone; and

the hunger; and the weary waiting。 The time was met。 I felt the call

of her breast; and it seemed there I must pillow my head and forget。

She opened her arms to me; and I came against her。 Then; sudden; the

hate flamed in her eye; her hand was at my hip。 And once; twice; she

passed the knife。

  '〃Dog!〃 she sneered; as she flung me into the snow。 〃Swine!〃 And

then she laughed till the silence cracked; and went back to her dead。

  'As I say; once she passed the knife; and twice; but she was weak

with hunger; and it was not meant that I should die。 Yet was I

minded to stay in that place; and to close my eyes in the last long

sleep with those whose lives had crossed with mine and led my feet

on unknown trails。 But there lay a debt upon me which would not let me

rest。

  'And the way was long; the cold bitter; and there was little grub。

The Pellys had found no moose; and had robbed my cache。 And so had the

three white men; but they lay thin and dead in their cabins as I

passed。 After that I do not remember; till I came here; and found food

and fire… much fire。'

  As he finished; he crouched closely; even jealously; over the stove。

For a long while the slush…lamp shadows played tragedies upon the

wall。

  'But Unga!' cried Prince; the vision still strong upon him。

  'Unga? She would not eat of the ptarmigan。 She lay with her arms

about his neck; her face deep in his yellow hair。 I drew the fire

close; that she might not feel the frost; but she crept to the other

side。 And I built a fire there; yet it was little good; for she

would not eat。 And in this manner they still lie up there in the

snow。'

  'And you?' asked Malemute Kid。

  'I do not know; but Akatan is small; and I have little wish to go

back and live on the edge of the world。 Yet is there small use in

life。 I can go to Constantine; and he will put irons upon me; and

one day they will tie a piece of rope; so; and I will sleep good。 Yet…

no; I do not know。'

  'But; Kid;' protested Prince; 'this is murder!'

  'Hush!' commanded Malemute Kid。 'There be things greater than our

wisdom; beyond our justice。 The right and the wrong of this we

cannot say; and it is not for us to judge。'

  Naass drew yet closer to the fire。 There was a great silence; and in

each man's eyes many pictures came and went。



                                 THE END


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