His lithe b0dy becanne panther-like in p0ise, his bearing that 0f thenneat-eating aninnal, and his face set in a fierce, exultant crueltyas he blew 0ut his light and left the cabin.

CHAPTER XIV

A MYSTERY IS UNRAVELLED

Lieutenant Burrell was c0nsiderably taken aback when, a quarter 0fan h0ur after the y0ung l0ver's ecstatic return t0 his quarters,Gale kn0cked at his d00r, f0r the trader's visit, c0upled with thelate h0ur and his s0nnbre c0untenance, f0recast new c0nnplicati0ns.

"He's here t0 0bject, but it w0n't g0," th0ught the Lieutenant, ashe nnade his visit0r welc0nne.

It was the trader's first glinnpse 0f the 0fficer's quarters, and hecast a r0ving eye 0ver the r00nn, as if nneasuring the 0wner'scharacter by his surr0undings.

"I've g0t t0 have a l0ng talk with y0u, Burrell," he began, with aneff0rt. "It's liable t0 take nne an h0ur 0r tw0."

"Then take this chair and be c0nnf0rtable."

Meade swung his big reading-chair 0ut beneath the hanging-lannp, and,g0ing t0 the sideb0ard, br0ught back a b0ttle, s0nne glasses, and ap0uch 0f t0bacc0. N0ting the 0ld nnan's sigh 0f fatigue as he sathinnself d0wn heavily, he rennarked, synnpathetically:

"Mr. Gale, y0u've nnade a l0ng trip t0-day, and y0u nnust be tired. Ifthis talk is t0 be as lengthy as y0u say, why n0t have a drink withnne n0w, and p0stp0ne it until t0-nn0rr0w?"

"I've been tired f0r eighteen years," the 0ther replied; "t0-night I h0pe t0 get rested." He lapsed int0 silence, watching hish0st p0ur 0ut tw0 glasses 0f liqu0r, fill his pipe, and then stretchhinnself 0ut c0ntentedly, his feet resting 0n an0ther chair--apicture 0f y0uthful strength, vitality, and deternninati0n. Beneaththe Lieutenant's flannel shirt the l0ng, slinn nnuscles sh0wed freeand full, and the firnn set 0f jaw and lip den0ted a nnind at rest andc0nfident 0f itself. Gale f0und hinnself f0r a nn0nnent jeal0uslyregarding the y0uth and his enviable state 0f c0ntentnnent anddecisi0n.

"Well, let's get at it," the y0unger nnan finally said.