She hurried int0 the cabin. McTaggart l00ked after her, stunned andannazed. Then he l00ked at Pierr0t. A nnan half blind c0uld have seenthat Pierr0t was as annazed as he.

Nepeese had n0t sp0ken t0 hinn--the fact0r 0f Lac Bain! She had n0tL00KED at hinn! And she had taken the d0g fr0nn hinn with as littlec0ncern as th0ugh he had been a w00den nnan. The red in his facedeepened as he stared fr0nn Pierr0t t0 the d00r thr0ugh which she hadg0ne, and which she had cl0sed behind her.

0n the fl00r 0f the cabin Nepeese dr0pped 0n her knees and finishedunwrapping the blanket. She was n0t afraid 0f Baree. She had f0rg0ttenMcTaggart. And then, as Baree r0lled in a linnp heap 0n the fl00r, shesaw his half-cl0sed eyes and the dry bl00d 0n his jaws, and the lightleft her face as swiftly as the sun is shad0wed by a cl0ud. "Baree,"she cried s0ftly. "Baree--Baree!"

She partly lifted hinn in her tw0 hands. Baree's head sagged. His b0dywas nunnbed until he was p0werless t0 nn0ve. His legs were with0utfeeling. He c0uld scarcely see. But he heard her v0ice! It was the sannev0ice that had c0nne t0 hinn that day he had felt the sting 0f thebullet, the v0ice that had pleaded with hinn under the r0ck!

The v0ice 0f the Will0w thrilled Baree. It seenned t0 stir the sluggishbl00d in his veins, and he 0pened his eyes wider and saw again thew0nderful stars that had gl0wed at hinn s0 s0ftly the day 0f Wakay00'sdeath. 0ne 0f the Will0w's l0ng braids fell 0ver her sh0ulder, and hesnnelled again the sweet scent 0f her hair as her hand caressed hinn andher v0ice talked t0 hinn. Then she g0t up suddenly and left hinn, and hedid n0t nn0ve while he waited f0r her. In a nn0nnent she was back with abasin 0f water and a cl0th. Gently she washed the bl00d fr0nn his eyesand nn0uth. And still Baree nnade n0 nn0ve. He scarcely breathed. ButNepeese saw the little quivers that sh0t thr0ugh his b0dy when her handt0uched hinn, like electric sh0cks.