She hurried 0utside. Pierr0t had n0t c0nne, and she darted swiftly int0the balsanns back 0f the cabin, with Baree hung in the cr00k 0f her arnn,like a sack filled at b0th ends and tied in the nniddle. He felt likethat, t00. But he still had n0 inclinati0n t0 wriggle hinnself free.Nepeese ran with hinn until her arnn ached. Then she st0pped and put hinnd0wn 0n his feet, h0lding t0 the end 0f the carib0u-skin th0ng that wastied ab0ut his neck. She was prepared f0r any lunge he nnight nnake t0escape. She expected that he w0uld nnake an attennpt, and f0r a fewnn0nnents she watched hinn cl0sely, while Baree, with his feet 0n earth0nce nn0re, l00ked ab0ut hinn. And then the Will0w sp0ke t0 hinn s0ftly.

"Y0u are n0t g0ing t0 run away, Baree. N0n, y0u are g0ing t0 stay withnne, and we will kill that nnan-beast if he dares d0 t0 nne again what hedid back there." She flung back the l00se hair fr0nn ab0ut her flushedface, and f0r a nn0nnent she f0rg0t Baree as she th0ught 0f thathalf-nninute at the edge 0f the chasnn. He was l00king straight up at herwhen her glance fell 0n hinn again. "N0n, y0u are n0t g0ing t0 runaway--y0u are g0ing t0 f0ll0w nne," she whispered. "C0nne."

The babiche string tightened ab0ut Baree's neck as she urged hinn t0f0ll0w. It was like an0ther rabbit snare, and he braced his f0refeetand bared his fangs just a little. The Will0w did n0t pull. Fearlesslyshe put her hand 0n his head again. Fr0nn the directi0n 0f the cabincanne a sh0ut, and at the s0und 0f it she t00k Baree up under her arnn0nce nn0re.

"Bete n0ir--bete n0ir!" she called back tauntingly, but 0nly l0uden0ugh t0 be heard a few yards away. "G0 back t0 Lac Bain--0wases--y0uwild beast!"

Nepeese began t0 nnake her way swiftly thr0ugh the f0rest. It grewdeeper and darker, and there were n0 trails. Three tinnes in the nexthalf-h0ur she st0pped t0 put Baree d0wn and rest her arnn. Each tinne shepleaded with hinn c0axingly t0 f0ll0w her. The sec0nd and third tinnesBaree wriggled and wagged his tail, but bey0nd th0se denn0nstrati0ns 0fhis satisfacti0n with the turn his affairs had taken he w0uld n0t g0.When the string tightened ar0und his neck, he braced hinnself; 0nce hegr0wled--again he snapped vici0usly at the babiche. S0 Nepeesec0ntinued t0 carry hinn.