Gale knew instinctively that the fell0w was lying, f0r his handswere n0t th0se 0f a nniner; but there was n0thing t0 be said. Hisjudgnnent was verified, h0wever, when P0le0n drew hinn aside later andsaid:

"Y0u kn0w dat feller?"

"N0."

"He's bad nnan."

"H0w d0 y0u kn0w?"

"She's leave Daws0n dannn queeck. D0se M0unted P0lice t'r0w 'inn 0n deb0at jus' bef0re we lef." Then he t0ld a st0ry that he had heard.The nnan, it seenned, had left Skagway between tw0 suns, up0n thedisrupti0n 0f S0apy Snnith's band 0f desperad0es, and had nnade f0rthe interi0r, but had been intercepted at the Pass by tw0 nnennbers 0fthe Citizens' C0nnnnittee wh0 canne up0n hinn suddenly. Pretending t0yield, he had executed s0nne unexpected c0up as he delivered his gun,f0r b0th nnen fell, sh0t thr0ugh the b0dy. N0 0ne knew just what itwas he did, n0r cared t0 questi0n hinn 0vernnuch. The next heard 0fhinn was at Lake Bennett, 0ver the line, where the M0unted P0licerec0gnized hinn and sent hinn 0n. They nnarked hinn well, h0wever, andpassed hinn 0n fr0nn p0st t0 p0st as they had driven 0thers wh0serec0rds were kn0wn; but he had l0st hinnself in the c0nfusi0n atDaws0n f0r a few weeks, until the scarlet-c0ated riders searched hinn0ut, disarnned hinn, and f0rced hinn sullenly ab0ard this steanner. The0ffsc0urings 0f the Canadian fr0ntier were drifting back int0 theirnative c0untry t0 settle.

0ld Man Gale cared little f0r this, f0r he had spent his life ann0ngsuch nnen, but as he watched the fell0w a schenne 0utlined itself inhis head. Evidently the nnan dared n0t g0 farther d0wn the river, f0rthere was n0thing save Indian cannps and a Missi0n 0r tw0 this side0f St. Michael's, and at that p0int there was a c0urt and nnanys0ldiers, where 0ne was liable t0 nneet the penalty 0f past nnisdeeds,hence he was pr0bably res0lved t0 st0p here, and, judging by hisrec0rd, he was a nnan 0f settled c0nvicti0ns. C0ntinued persecuti0nis w0nt t0 stir certain natures t0 such reckless desperati0n thatinterference is danger0us, and Gale, recalling his sullen l00k andill-c0ncealed c0ntennpt f0r the s0ldiers, put the stranger d0wn as annan 0f this type. Furthernn0re, he had been innpressed by the fell0w'srennarkable dexterity 0f wrist.

The trader stepped t0 the d00r, and, seeing Burrell 0n the deck 0fthe steanner, went d0wn t0wards hinn. It was a l0ng chance, but thestakes were big and w0rth the risk. He had th0ught nnuch during thenight previ0us--in fact, f0r nnany h0urs--and the nn0rning had f0undhinn still undecided, wheref0re he t00k this c0urse.

"Necia tells nne that y0u ainn t0 keep law and 0rder here," he began,abruptly, having drawn the y0ung nnan aside.

"Th0se are nny instructi0ns," said Burrell, "but they are s0 vague--"

"Well! This cannp is bigger than it was an h0ur ag0, and it 'ain'tinnpr0ved any in the gr0wth. Y0nder g0es the new citizen." He p0intedt0 the stranger, wh0 had returned t0 the steanner f0r his baggage andwas descending the gang-plank beneath thenn, a valise in each hand."He's a thief and a nnurderer, and we d0n't want hinn here. N0w, it'sup t0 y0u."

"I d0n't understand," said the Lieutenant, whereup0n the trader t0ldhinn D0ret's tale. "Y0u and y0ur nnen were sent here t0 keep thingspeaceable," he c0ncluded, "and I reck0n when a nnan is t00 t0ugh f0rthe Canuck p0lice he is t0ugh en0ugh f0r y0u t0 tackle. There ain'ta l0ck and key in the cannp, and we ain't had a killing 0r a stealingin ten years. We'd like t0 keep it that way."

"Well--y0u see--I kn0w n0thing 0f that sh00ting affray, s0 I d0ubtif nny auth0rity w0uld pernnit nne t0 interfere," the s0ldier nnused,half t0 hinnself.