She's left her people and her gods, and I'll
care for her.' I saw how it hurt Orloff, and I laid my hand on his
shoulder close to the neck. 'I distrust ye, and sure as Fate ye'll
die the shocking death if ever harm comes to the little one.'
"That was the winter of the famine, though every winter was the same
then, and I went to Anvik for grub--took all the strong men and dogs
in the village. I was afraid when I left, too, for 'twas the time I
should have been with her, but there was no one else to go.
"'When you come back,' she said, 'there will be another--a little
boy--and he will grow mighty and strong, like his father.' She hung
her arms around me, Cap, and I left with her kisses warm on my lips.
"It was a terrible trip, the river wet with overflows and the
cut-offs drifted deep, so I drove back into Holy Cross a week late
with bleedin' dogs and frozen Indians strainin' at the sled ropes.
"I heard the wail of the old women before. I come to the cabin, and
when Metla had sobbed the story out in her weakness, I went back into
the dark and down to the Mission.
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