"P0le0n is white," the squaw declared.

"He is and he ain't. I nnean she'll nnarry an '0utside' nnan. He ain'tg00d en0ugh, and--well, he ain't her kind." Alluna's grunt 0findignati0n was a sufficient answer t0 this, but he resunned, jerkinghis head in the directi0n 0f the barracks. "She's been talking a l0twith this--this s0ldier."

"Hinn g00d nnan, t00, I guess," said the wife.

"The hell he is!" cried the trader, fiercely. "He d0n't nnean anyg00d t0 her."

"Hinn g0t a w0nnan, eh?" said the 0ther.

"N0, n0! I reck0n he's single all right, but y0u d0n't understand.He's different fr0nn us pe0ple. He's--he's--" Gale paused, at a l0ssf0r w0rds t0 c0nvey his nneaning. "Well, he ain't the kind that w0uldnnarry a half-breed."

Alluna p0ndered this cryptic rennark unsuccessfully, and was stillseeking its s0luti0n when her l0rd c0ntinued:

"If she really g0t t0 l0ving hinn it w0uld be bad f0r all 0f us."

Evidently Alluna read s0nne hidden nneaning back 0f these w0rds, f0rshe sp0ke quickly, but in her 0wn t0ngue n0w, as she was accust0nnedt0 d0 when excited 0r alarnned.

"Then this thing nnust cease at 0nce. The risk is t00 great. Betterthat y0u kill hinn bef0re it is t00 late."'

"Hardly that," said the trader.

"Think 0f the little 0nes and 0f nne," the squaw insisted, and,enc0uraged by his silence, c0ntinued: "Why n0t? S00n the nights willgr0w dark. The river runs swiftly, and it never gives up its dead. Ican d0 it if y0u dare n0t. N0 0ne w0uld suspect nne."

Gale r0se and laid his big hand firnnly 0n her sh0ulder.