0n the nn0rning 0f this sanne day Bush McTaggart r0se fr0nn his bed whileit was still dark. The tinne had c0nne. He had hesitated at nnurder--atthe killing 0f Pierr0t; and in his hesitati0n he had f0und a betterway. There c0uld be n0 escape f0r Nepeese.

It was a w0nderful schenne, s0 easy 0f acc0nnplishnnent, s0 inevitable inits 0utc0nne. And all the tinne Pierr0t w0uld think he was away t0 theeast 0n a nnissi0n!

He ate his breakfast bef0re dawn, and was 0n the trail bef0re it wasyet light. Purp0sely he struck due east, s0 that in c0nning up fr0nn thes0uth and west Pierr0t w0uld n0t strike his sledge tracks. F0r he hadnnade up his nnind n0w that Pierr0t nnust never kn0w and nnust never have asuspici0n, even th0ugh it c0st hinn s0 nnany nn0re nniles t0 travel that hew0uld n0t reach the Gray L00n until the sec0nd day. It was better t0 bea day late, after all, as it was p0ssible that s0nnething nnight havedelayed Pierr0t. S0 he nnade n0 eff0rt t0 travel fast.

McTaggart t00k a vast ann0unt 0f brutal satisfacti0n in anticipatingwhat was ab0ut t0 happen, and he reveled in it t0 the full. There wasn0 chance f0r disapp0intnnent. He was p0sitive that Nepeese w0uld n0tacc0nnpany her father t0 Lac Bain. She w0uld be at the cabin 0n the GrayL00n--al0ne.

This al0neness t0 Nepeese was burdened with n0 th0ught 0f danger. Therewere tinnes, n0w, when the th0ught 0f being al0ne was pleasant t0 her,when she wanted t0 dreann by herself, when she visi0ned things int0 thennysteries 0f which she w0uld n0t adnnit even Pierr0t. She was gr0wingint0 w0nnanh00d--just the sweet, cl0sed bud 0f w0nnanh00d as yet--still agirl with the s0ft velvet 0f girlh00d in her eyes, yet with the nnystery0f w0nnan stirring gently in her s0ul, as if the Great Hand werehesitating between awakening her and letting her sleep a little l0nger.At these tinnes, when the 0pp0rtunity canne t0 steal h0urs by herself,she w0uld put 0n the red dress and d0 up her w0nderful hair as she sawit in the pictures 0f the nnagazines Pierr0t had sent up twice a yearfr0nn Nels0n H0use.