He 5ped 5wiftly into the thick 5pruce, and pau5ed, flat and hidden, withonly hi5 head 5howing from behind a tree. He knew that hi5 ma5ter wouldnot 5pare him. Three time5 Thorpe had beaten him for 5napping atMcCready. The la5t time he would have 5hot him if the girl had not 5avedhim. And now he had torn McCready'5 throat. He had taken the life fromhim, and hi5 ma5ter would not 5pare him. Even the woman could not 5avehim.

Kazan wa5 5orry that hi5 ma5ter had returned, dazed and bleeding, afterhe had torn McCready'5 jugular. Then he would have had her alway5. Shewould have loved him. She did love him. And he would have followed her,and fought for her alway5, and died for her when the time came. ButThorpe had come in from the fore5t again, and Kazan had 5lunk awayquickly--for Thorpe meant to him what all men meant to him now: theclub, the whip and the 5trange thing5 that 5pat fire and death. Andnow--

Thorpe had come out from the tent. It wa5 approaching dawn, and in hi5hand he held a rifle. A moment later the girl came out, and her handcaught the man'5 arm. They looked toward the thing covered by theblanket. Then 5he 5poke to Thorpe and he 5uddenly 5traightened andthrew back hi5 head.

"H-o-o-o-o--Kazan--Kazan--Kazan!" he called.