woman；　as　her　crimson　cheeks　and　the　luminous　softness　of　her　eyes
  attested。
  There　was　a　thrill　of　excitement　in　the　air　as　'Scruff'　Mackenzie；　a
  bulky　bundle　under　his　arm；　threw　open　the　flap　of　Thling…Tinneh's
  tent。　Children　were　running　about　in　the　open；　dragging　dry　wood　to
  the　scene　of　the　potlach；　a　babble　of　women's　voices　was　growing　in
  intensity；　the　young　men　were　consulting　in　sullen　groups；　while
  from　the　Shaman's　lodge　rose　the　eerie　sounds　of　an　incantation。
  The　chief　was　alone　with　his　blear…eyed　wife；　but　a　glance
  sufficed　to　tell　Mackenzie　that　the　news　was　already　told。　So　he
  plunged　at　once　into　the　business；　shifting　the　beaded　sheath
  prominently　to　the　fore　as　advertisement　of　the　betrothal。
  'O　Thling…Tinneh；　mighty　chief　of　the　Sticks　And　the　land　of　the
  Tanana；　ruler　of　the　salmon　and　the　bear；　the　moose　and　the　cariboo！
  The　White　Man　is　before　thee　with　a　great　purpose。　Many　moons　has
  his　lodge　been　empty；　and　he　is　lonely。　And　his　heart　has　eaten　itself
  in　silence；　and　grown　hungry　for　a　woman　to　sit　beside　him　in　his
  lodge；　to　meet　him　from　the　hunt　with　warm　fire　and　good　food。　He
  has　heard　strange　things；　the　patter　of　baby　moccasins　and　the　sound
  of　children's　voices。　And　one　night　a　vision　came　upon　him；　and　he
  beheld　the　Raven；　who　is　thy　father；　the　great　Raven；　who　is　the
  father　of　all　the　Sticks。　And　the　Raven　spake　to　the　lonely　White　Man；
  saying：　〃Bind　thou　thy　moccasins　upon　thee；　and　gird　thy　snow…shoes
  on；　and　lash　thy　sled　with　food　for　many　sleeps　and　fine　tokens　for
  the　Chief　Thling…Tinneh。　For　thou　shalt　turn　thy　face　to　where　the
  midspring　sun　is　wont　to　sink　below　the　land　and　journey　to　this　great
  chief's　hunting…grounds。　There　thou　shalt　make　big　presents；　and
  Thling…Tinneh；　who　is　my　son；　shall　become　to　thee　as　a　father。　In　his
  lodge　there　is　a　maiden　into　whom　I　breathed　the　breath　of　life　for
  thee。　This　maiden　shalt　thou　take　to　wife。〃
  'O　Chief；　thus　spake　the　great　Raven；　thus　do　I　lay　many　presents　at
  thy　feet；　thus　am　I　come　to　take　thy　daughter！'
  The　old　man　drew　his　furs　about　him　with　crude　consciousness　of
  royalty；　but　delayed　reply　while　a　youngster　crept　in；　delivered　a
  quick　message　to　appear　before　the　council；　and　was　gone。
  'O　White　Man；　whom　we　have　named　Moose…Killer；　also　known　as　the
  Wolf；　and　the　Son　of　the　Wolf！　We　know　thou　comest　of　a　mighty　race；
  we　are　proud　to　have　thee　our　potlach…guest；　but　the　king…salmon
  does　not　mate　with　the　dog…salmon；　nor　the　Raven　with　the　Wolf。'
  'Not　so！'　cried　Mackenzie。　'The　daughters　of　the　Raven　have　I　met　in
  the　camps　of　the　Wolf；…　the　squaw　of　Mortimer；　the　squaw　of
  Tregidgo；　the　squaw　of　Barnaby；　who　came　two　ice…runs　back；　and　I　have
  heard　of　other　squaws；　though　my　eyes　beheld　them　not。'
  'Son；　your　words　are　true；　but　it　were　evil　mating；　like　the　water
  with　the　sand；　like　the　snow…flake　with　the　sun。　But　met　you　one　Mason
  and　his　squaw'　No？　He　came　ten　ice…runs　ago；…　the　first　of　all　the
  Wolves。　And　with　him　there　was　a　mighty　man；　straight　as　a
  willow…shoot；　and　tall；　strong　as　the　bald…faced　grizzly；　with　a　heart
  like　the　full　summer　moon；　his…'
  'Oh！'　interrupted　Mackenzie；　recognizing　the　well…known　Northland
  figure；　'Malemute　Kid！'
  'The　same；…　a　mighty　man。　But　saw　you　aught　of　the　squaw？　She　was
  full　sister　to　Zarinska。'
  'Nay；　Chief；　but　I　have　heard。　Mason…　far；　far　to　the　north；　a
  spruce…tree；　heavy　with　years；　crushed　out　his　life　beneath。　But　his
  love　was　great；　and　he　had　much　gold。　With　this；　and　her　boy；　she
  journeyed　countless　sleeps　toward　the　winter's　noonday　sun；　and
  there　she　yet　lives；…　no　biting　frost；　no　snow；　no　summer's　midnight
  sun；　no　winter's　noonday　night。'
  A　second　messenger　interrupted　with　imperative　summons　from　the
  council。　As　Mackenzie　threw　him　into　the　snow；　he　caught　a　glimpse
  of　the　swaying　forms　before　the　council…fire；　heard　the　deep　basses　of
  the　men　in　rhythmic　chant；　and　knew　the　Shaman　was　fanning　the　anger
  of　his　people。　Time　pressed。　He　turned　upon　the　chief。
  'Come！　I　wish　thy　child。　And　now；　see！　Here　are　tobacco；　tea；　many
  cups　of　sugar；　warm　blankets；　handkerchiefs；　both　good　and　large；
  and　here；　a　true　rifle；　with　many　bullets　and　much　powder。'
  'Nay；'　replied　the　old　man；　struggling　against　the　great　wealth
  spread　before　him。　'Even　now　are　my　people　come　together。　They　will
  not　have　this　marriage。'
  'But　thou　art　chief。'
  'Yet　do　my　young　men　rage　because　the　Wolves　have　taken　their
  maidens　so　that　they　may　not　marry。'
  'Listen；　O　Thling…Tinneh！　Ere　the　night　has　passed　into　the　day；　the
  Wolf　shall　face　his　dogs　to　the　Mountains　of　the　East　and　fare　forth
  to　the　Country　of　the　Yukon。　And　Zarinska　shall　break　trail　for　his
  dogs。'
  'And　ere　the　night　has　gained　its　middle；　my　young　men　may　fling
  to　the　dogs　the　flesh　of　the　Wolf；　and　his　bones　be　scattered　in　the
  snow　till　the　springtime　lay　them　bare。'
  It　was　threat　and　counter…threat。　Mackenzie's　bronzed　face　flushed
  darkly。　He　raised　his　voice。　The　old　squaw；　who　till　now　had　sat　an
  impassive　spectator；　made　to　creep　by　him　for　the　door。　The　song　of
  the　men　broke　suddenly　and　there　was　a　hubbub　of　many　voices　as　he
  whirled　the　old　woman　roughly　to　her　couch　of　skins。
  'Again　I　cry…　listen；　O　Thling…Tinneh！　The　Wolf　dies　with　teeth
  fast…locked；　and　with　him　there　shall　sleep　ten　of　thy　strongest　men；…
  men　who　are　needed；　for　the　hunting　is　not　begun；　and　the　fishing　is
  not　many　moons　away。　And　again；　of　what　profit　should　I　die？　I　know
  the　custom　of　thy　people；　thy　share　of　my　wealth　shall　be　very
  small。　Grant　me　thy　child；　and　it　shall　all　be　thine。　And　yet　again；
  my　brothers　will　come；　and　they　are　many；　and　their　maws　are　never
  filled；　and　the　daughters　of　the　Raven　shall　bear　children　in　the
  lodges　of　the　Wolf。　My　people　are　greater　than　thy　people。　It　is
  destiny。　Grant；　and　all　this　wealth　is　thine。'
  Moccasins　were　crunching　the　snow　without。　Mackenzie　threw　his　rifle
  to　cock；　and　loosened　the　twin　Colts　in　his　belt。
  'Grant；　O　Chief！'
  'And　yet　will　my　people　say　no。'
  'Grant；　and　the　wealth　is　thine。　Then　shall　I　deal　with　thy　people
  after。'
  'The　Wolf　will　have　it　so。　I　will　take　his　tokens；…　but　I　would　warn
  him。'
  Mackenzie　passed　over　the　goods；　taking　care　to　clog　the　rifle's
  ejector；　and　capping　the　bargain　with　a　kaleidoscopic　silk　kerchief。
  The　Shaman　and　half　a　dozen　young　braves　entered；　but　he　shouldered
  boldly　among　them　and　passed　out。
  'Pack！'　was　his　laconic　greeting　to　Zarinska　as　he　passed　her
  lodge　and　hurried　to　harness　his　dogs。　A　few　minutes　later　he　swept
  into　the　council　at　the　head　of　the　team；　the　woman　by　his　side。　He
  took　his　place　at　the　upper　end　of　the　oblong；　by　the　side　of　the
  chief。　To　his　left；　a　step　to　the　rear；　he　stationed　Zarinska；…　her
  proper　place。　Besides；　the　time　was　ripe　for　mischief；　and　there　was
  need　to　guard　his　back。
  On　either　side；　the　men　crouched　to　the　fire；　their　voices　lifted　in
  a　folk…chant　out　of　the　forgotten　past。　Full　of　strange；　halting
  cadences　and　haunting　recurrences；　it　was　not　beautiful。　'Fearful'　may
  inadequately　express　it。　At　the　lower　end；　under　the　eye　of　the
  Shaman；　danced　half　a　score　of　women。　Stern　were　his　reproofs　of　those
  who　did　not　wholly　abandon　themselves　to　the　ecstasy　of　the　rite。　Half
  hidden　in　their　heavy　masses　of　raven　hair；　all　dishevelled　and
  falling　to　their　waists；　they　slowly　swayed　to　and　fro；　their　forms
  rippling　to　an　ever…changing　rhythm。
  It　was　a　weird　scene；　an　anachronism。　To　the　south；　the　nineteenth
  century　was　reeling　off　the　few　years　of　its　last　decade；　here
  flourished　man　primeval；　a　shade　removed　from　the　prehistoric
  cave…dweller；　forgotten　fragment　of　the　Elder　World。　The　tawny
  wolf…dogs　sat　between　their　skin…clad　masters　or　fought　for　room；
  the　firelight　cast　backward　from　their　red　eyes　and　dripping　fangs。
  The　woods；　in　ghostly　shroud；　slept　on　unheeding。　The　White　Silence；
  for　the　moment　driven　to　the　rimming　forest；　seemed　ever　crushing
  inward；　the　stars　danced　with　great　leaps；　as　is　their　wont　in　the
  time　of　the　Great　Cold；　while　the　Spirits　of　the　Pole　trailed　their
  robes　of　glory　athwart　the　heavens。
  'Scruff'　Mackenzie　dimly　realized　the　wild　grandeur　of　the　setting
  as　his　eyes　ranged　down　the　fur…fringed　sides　in　quest　of　missing
  faces。　They　rested　for　a　moment　on　a　newborn　babe；　suckling　at　its
  mother's　naked　breast。　It　was　forty　below；…　seven　and　odd　degrees　of
  frost。　He　thought　of　the　tender　women　of　his　own　race　and　smiled
  grimly。　Yet　from　the　loins　of　some　such　tender　woman　had　he　sprung
  with　a　kingly　inheritance；…　an　inheritance　which　gave　to　him　and　his
  dominance　over　the　land　and　sea；　over　the　animals　and　the　peoples　of
  all　the　zones。　Single…handed　against　fivescore；　girt　by　the　Arctic
  winter；　far　from　his　own；　he　felt　the　prompting　of　his　heritage；　the
  desire　to　possess；　the　wild　danger…　love；　the　thrill　of　battle；　the
  po