the faith of men-第17章

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the　dwellers　in　the　Sin　Rock　district。



Whereupon　Snettishane；　with　visions　of　his　incalculable　interest

keeping　him　awake　of　nights；　thought　it　time　to　bestir　himself。　　On

the　tenth　night　of　her　wedded　life　Lit…lit　was　awakened　by　the

croaking　of　a　raven；　and　she　knew　that　Snettishane　was　waiting　for

her　by　the　river　bank。　　In　her　great　happiness　she　had　forgotten

her　pact；　and　now　it　came　back　to　her　with　behind　it　all　the

childish　terror　of　her　father。　　For　a　time　she　lay　in　fear　and

trembling；　loath　to　go；　afraid　to　stay。　　But　in　the　end　the　Factor

won　the　silent　victory；　and　his　kindness　plus　his　great　muscles　and

square　jaw；　nerved　her　to　disregard　Snettishane's　call。



But　in　the　morning　she　arose　very　much　afraid；　and　went　about　her

duties　in　momentary　fear　of　her　father's　coming。　　As　the　day　wore

along；　however；　she　began　to　recover　her　spirits。　　John　Fox；

soundly　berating　McLean　and　McTavish　for　some　petty　dereliction　of

duty；　helped　her　to　pluck　up　courage。　　She　tried　not　to　let　him　go

out　of　her　sight；　and　when　she　followed　him　into　the　huge　cache　and

saw　him　twirling　and　tossing　great　bales　around　as　though　they　were

feather　pillows；　she　felt　strengthened　in　her　disobedience　to　her

father。　　Also　（it　was　her　first　visit　to　the　warehouse；　and　Sin

Rock　was　the　chief　distributing　point　to　several　chains　of　lesser

posts）；　she　was　astounded　at　the　endlessness　of　the　wealth　there

stored　away。



This　sight　and　the　picture　in　her　mind's　eye　of　the　bare　lodge　of

Snettishane；　put　all　doubts　at　rest。　　Yet　she　capped　her　conviction

by　a　brief　word　with　one　of　her　step…sons。　　〃White　daddy　good？〃　was

what　she　asked；　and　the　boy　answered　that　his　father　was　the　best

man　he　had　ever　known。　　That　night　the　raven　croaked　again。　　On　the

night　following　the　croaking　was　more　persistent。　　It　awoke　the

Factor；　who　tossed　restlessly　for　a　while。　　Then　he　said　aloud；

〃Damn　that　raven；〃　and　Lit…lit　laughed　quietly　under　the　blankets。



In　the　morning；　bright　and　early；　Snettishane　put　in　an　ominous

appearance　and　was　set　to　breakfast　in　the　kitchen　with　Wanidani。

He　refused　〃squaw　food；〃　and　a　little　later　bearded　his　son…in…law

in　the　store　where　the　trading　was　done。　　Having　learned；　he　said；

that　his　daughter　was　such　a　jewel；　he　had　come　for　more　blankets；

more　tobacco；　and　more　gunsespecially　more　guns。　　He　had

certainly　been　cheated　in　her　price；　he　held；　and　he　had　come　for

justice。　　But　the　Factor　had　neither　blankets　nor　justice　to　spare。

Whereupon　he　was　informed　that　Snettishane　had　seen　the　missionary

at　Three　Forks；　who　had　notified　him　that　such　marriages　were　not

made　in　heaven；　and　that　it　was　his　father's　duty　to　demand　his

daughter　back。



〃I　am　good　Christian　man　now；〃　Snettishane　concluded。　　〃I　want　my

Lit…lit　to　go　to　heaven。〃



The　Factor's　reply　was　short　and　to　the　point；　for　he　directed　his

father…in…law　to　go　to　the　heavenly　antipodes；　and　by　the　scruff　of

the　neck　and　the　slack　of　the　blanket　propelled　him　on　that　trail

as　far　as　the　door。



But　Snettishane　sneaked　around　and　in　by　the　kitchen；　cornering

Lit…lit　in　the　great　living…room　of　the　Fort。



〃Mayhap　thou　didst　sleep　over…sound　last　night　when　I　called　by　the

river　bank；〃　he　began；　glowering　darkly。



〃Nay；　I　was　awake　and　heard。〃　　Her　heart　was　beating　as　though　it

would　choke　her；　but　she　went　on　steadily；　〃And　the　night　before　I

was　awake　and　heard；　and　yet　again　the　night　before。〃



And　thereat；　out　of　her　great　happiness　and　out　of　the　fear　that　it

might　be　taken　from　her；　she　launched　into　an　original　and　glowing

address　upon　the　status　and　rights　of　womanthe　first　new…woman

lecture　delivered　north　of　Fifty…three。



But　it　fell　on　unheeding　ears。　　Snettishane　was　still　in　the　dark

ages。　　As　she　paused　for　breath；　he　said　threateningly；　〃To…night　I

shall　call　again　like　the　raven。〃



At　this　moment　the　Factor　entered　the　room　and　again　helped

Snettishane　on　his　way　to　the　heavenly　antipodes。



That　night　the　raven　croaked　more　persistently　than　ever。　　Lit…lit；

who　was　a　light　sleeper；　heard　and　smiled。　　John　Fox　tossed

restlessly。　　Then　he　awoke　and　tossed　about　with　greater

restlessness。　　He　grumbled　and　snorted；　swore　under　his　breath　and

over　his　breath；　and　finally　flung　out　of　bed。　　He　groped　his　way

to　the　great　living…room；　and　from　the　rack　took　down　a　loaded

shot…gunloaded　with　bird…shot；　left　therein　by　the　careless

McTavish。



The　Factor　crept　carefully　out　of　the　Fort　and　down　to　the　river。

The　croaking　had　ceased；　but　he　stretched　out　in　the　long　grass　and

waited。　　The　air　seemed　a　chilly　balm；　and　the　earth；　after　the

heat　of　the　day；　now　and　again　breathed　soothingly　against　him。

The　Factor；　gathered　into　the　rhythm　of　it　all；　dozed　off；　with　his

head　upon　his　arm；　and　slept。



Fifty　yards　away；　head　resting　on　knees；　and　with　his　back　to　John

Fox；　Snettishane　likewise　slept；　gently　conquered　by　the　quietude

of　the　night。　　An　hour　slipped　by　and　then　he　awoke；　and；　without

lifting　his　head；　set　the　night　vibrating　with　the　hoarse　gutturals

of　the　raven　call。



The　Factor　roused；　not　with　the　abrupt　start　of　civilized　man；　but

with　the　swift　and　comprehensive　glide　from　sleep　to　waking　of　the

savage。　　In　the　night…light　he　made　out　a　dark　object　in　the　midst

of　the　grass　and　brought　his　gun　to　bear　upon　it。　　A　second　croak

began　to　rise；　and　he　pulled　the　trigger。　　The　crickets　ceased　from

their　sing…song　chant；　the　wildfowl　from　their　squabbling；　and　the

raven　croak　broke　midmost　and　died　away　in　gasping　silence。



John　Fox　ran　to　the　spot　and　reached　for　the　thing　he　had　killed；

but　his　fingers　closed　on　a　coarse　mop　of　hair　and　he　turned

Snettishane's　face　upward　to　the　starlight。　　He　knew　how　a　shotgun

scattered　at　fifty　yards；　and　he　knew　that　he　had　peppered

Snettishane　across　the　shoulders　and　in　the　small　of　the　back。　　And

Snettishane　knew　that　he　knew；　but　neither　referred　to　it



〃What　dost　thou　here？〃　the　Factor　demanded。　　〃It　were　time　old

bones　should　be　in　bed。〃



But　Snettishane　was　stately　in　spite　of　the　bird…shot　burning　under

his　skin。



〃Old　bones　will　not　sleep；〃　he　said　solemnly。　　〃I　weep　for　my

daughter；　for　my　daughter　Lit…lit；　who　liveth　and　who　yet　is　dead；

and　who　goeth　without　doubt　to　the　white　man's　hell。〃



〃Weep　henceforth　on　the　far　bank；　beyond　ear…shot　of　the　Fort；〃

said　John　Fox；　turning　on　his　heel；　〃for　the　noise　of　thy　weeping

is　exceeding　great　and　will　not　let　one　sleep　of　nights。〃



〃My　heart　is　sore；〃　Snettishane　answered；　〃and　my　days　and　nights

be　black　with　sorrow。〃



〃As　the　raven　is　black；〃　said　John　Fox。



〃As　the　raven　is　black；〃　Snettishane　said。



Never　again　was　the　voice　of　the　raven　heard　by　the　river　bank。

Lit…lit　grows　matronly　day　by　day　and　is　very　happy。　　Also；　there

are　sisters　to　the　sons　of　John　Fox's　first　wife　who　lies　buried　in

a　tree。　　Old　Snettishane　is　no　longer　a　visitor　at　the　Fort；　and

spends　long　hours　raising　a　thin；　aged　voice　against　the　filial

ingratitude　of　children　in　general　and　of　his　daughter　Lit…lit　in

particular。　　His　declining　years　are　embittered　by　the　knowledge

that　he　was　cheated；　and　even　John　Fox　has　withdrawn　the　assertion

that　the　price　for　Lit…lit　was　too　much　by　ten　blankets　and　a　gun。







BATARD







Batard　was　a　devil。　　This　was　recognized　throughout　the　Northland。

〃Hell's　Spawn〃　he　was　called　by　many　men；　but　his　master；　Black

Leclere；　chose　for　him　the　shameful　name　〃Batard。〃　　Now　Black

Leclere　was　also　a　devil；　and　the　twain　were　well　matched。　　There

is　a　saying　that　when　two　devils　come　together；　hell　is　to　pay。

This　is　to　be　expected；　and　this　certainly　was　to　be　expected　when

Batard　and　Black　Leclere　came　together。　　The　first　time　they　met；

Batard　was　a　part…grown　puppy；　lean　and　hungry；　with　bitter　eyes；

and　they　met　with　snap　and　snarl；　and　wicked　looks；　for　Leclere's

upper　lip　had　a　wolfish　way　of　lifting　and　showing　the　white；　cruel

teeth。　　And　it　lifted　then；　and　his　eyes　glinted　viciously；　as　he

reached　for　Batard　and　dragged　him　out　from　the　squirming　litter。

It　was　certain　that　they　divined　each　other；　for　on　the　instant

Batard　had　buried　his　puppy　fangs　in　Leclere's　hand；　and　Leclere；

thumb　and　finger；　was　coolly　choking　his　young　life　out　of　him。



〃SACREDAM；〃　the　Frenchman　said　softly；　flirting　the　quick　blood

from　his　bitten　hand　and　gazing　down　on　the　little　puppy　choking

and　gasping　in　the　snow。



Leclere　turned　to　John　Hamlin；　storekeeper　of　the　Sixty　Mile　Post。

〃Dat　fo'　w'at　Ah　lak　heem。　　'Ow　moch；　eh；　you；　M'sieu'？　　'Ow　moch？

Ah　buy　heem；　now；　Ah　buy　heem　queek。〃



And　because　he　hated　him　with　an　exceeding　bitter　hate；　Leclere

bought　Batard　and　gave　him　his　shameful　name。　　And　for　five　years

the　twain　adventured　across　the　Northland；　from　St。　Michael's　and

the　Yukon　delta　to　the　head…reaches　of　the　Pelly　and　even　so　far　as

the　Peace　River；　Athabasca；　and　the　Great　Slave。　　And　they　acquired

a　reputation　for　uncompromising　wickedness；　the　like　of　which　never

before　attached　itself　to　man　and　dog。



Batard　did　not　know　his　fatherhence　his　namebut；　as　John　Hamlin

knew；　his　father　was　a　great　grey　timber　wolf。　　But　the　mother　of

Batard；　as　he　dimly　remembered　her；　was　snarling；　bickering；

obscene；　husky；　full…fronted　and　heavy…chested；　with　a　malign　eye；

a　cat…like　grip　on　life；　and　a　genius　for　trickery　and　evil。　　There

was　neither　faith　nor　trust　in　her。　　Her　treachery　alone　could　be

relied　upon；　and　her　wild…wood　amours　attested　her　general

depravity。　　Much　of　evil　and　much　of　strength　were　there　in　these；

Batard's　progenitors；　and；　bone　and　flesh　of　their　bone　and　flesh；

he　had　inherited　it　all。　　And　then　came　Black　Leclere；　to　lay　his

heavy　hand　on　the　bit　of　pulsating　puppy　life；　to　press　and　prod

and　mould　till　it　became　a　big　bristling　beast；　acute　in　knavery；

overspilling　with　hate；　sinister；　malignant；　diabolical。　　With　a

proper　master　Batard　might　have　made　an　ordinary；　fairly　efficient

sled…dog。　　He　never　got　the　chance：　　Leclere　but　confirmed　him　in

his　congenital　iniquity。



The　history　of　Batard　and　Leclere　is　a　history　of　warof　five

cruel；　relentless　years；　of　which　their　first　meeting　is　fit

summary。　　To　begin　with；　it　was　Leclere's　fault；　for　he　hated　with

understanding　and　intelligence；　while　the　long…legged；　ungainly

puppy　hated　only　blindly；　instinctively；　without　reason　or　method。

At　first　there　were　no　refinements　of　cruelty　（these　were　to　come

later）；　but　simple　beatings　and　crude　brutalities。　　In　one　of　these

Batard　had　an　ear　injured。　　He　never　regained　control　of　the　riven

muscles；　and　ever　after　the　ear　drooped　limply　down　to　keep　keen

the　memory　of　his　tormentor。　　And　he　never　forgot。



His　puppyhood　was　a　period　of　foolish　rebellion。　　He　was　always

worsted；　but　he　fought　back　because　it　was　his　nature　to　fight

ba