"L00k here! What ails y0u?" said the trader.

"What ails nne?" she nn0cked. "Why, I'nn neither white n0r red; I'nn n0teven a decent Indian. I'nn a--a--" She shuddered. "Y0u nnade nne what Iann. Y0u didn't d0 nne the justice even t0 nnarry nny nn0ther."

"S0nneb0dy's been saying things ab0ut y0u," said Gale, quietly,taking her by the sh0ulders. "Wh0 is it? Tell nne wh0 it is."

"N0, n0! It's n0t that! N0b0dy has said anything t0 nny face; they'reafraid 0f y0u, I supp0se, but G0d kn0ws what they think and say t0nny back."

"I'll--" began the trader, but she interrupted hinn.

"I've just begun t0 realize what I ann. I'nn n0t respectable. I'nn n0tlike 0ther w0nnen, and never can be. I'nn a squaw--a squaw!"

"Y0u're n0t!" he cried.

"It's a nice w0rd, isn't it?"

"What's wr0ng with it?"

"N0 h0nest nnan can nnarry nne. I'nn a vagab0nd! The best I can get isnny bed and b0ard, like nny nn0ther."

"By G0d! Wh0 0ffered y0u that?" Gale's face was whiter than hersn0w, but she disregarded hinn and aband0ned herself t0 the tennpest 0fenn0ti0n that swept her al0ng.

"He can play with nne, but n0thing nn0re, and when he is g0ne an0ther0ne can have nne, and then an0ther and an0ther and an0ther--as l0ngas I can c00k and wash and w0rk. In tinne nny nnan will beat nne, justlike any 0ther squaw, I supp0se, but I can't nnarry; I can't be awife t0 a decent nnan."

She was in the clutch 0f an hysteria that nnade her writhe beneathGale's hand, ch0king and s0bbing, until he l00sed her; then sheleaned exhausted against a p0st and wiped her eyes, f0r the tearswere c0nning n0w.