willing　butt　of　the　party。　　He　even　went　out　of　his　way　to　raise　a
  laugh　at　his　own　expense　in　order　to　keep　things　cheerful。　　His
  deliberate　aim　in　life　seemed　to　be　that　of　a　maker　of　laughter。
  No　serious　quarrel　had　ever　vexed　the　serenity　of　the　party；　and；
  now　that　each　had　sixteen　hundred　dollars　to　show　for　a　short
  summer's　work；　there　reigned　the　well…fed；　contented　spirit　of
  prosperity。
  And　then　the　unexpected　happened。　　They　had　just　sat　down　to　the
  breakfast　table。　　Though　it　was　already　eight　o'clock　（late
  breakfasts　had　followed　naturally　upon　cessation　of　the　steady　work
  at　mining）　a　candle　in　the　neck　of　a　bottle　lighted　the　meal。
  Edith　and　Hans　sat　at　each　end　of　the　table。　　On　one　side；　with
  their　backs　to　the　door；　sat　Harkey　and　Dutchy。　　The　place　on　the
  other　side　was　vacant。　　Dennin　had　not　yet　come　in。
  Hans　Nelson　looked　at　the　empty　chair；　shook　his　head　slowly；　and；
  with　a　ponderous　attempt　at　humor；　said：　　〃Always　is　he　first　at
  the　grub。　　It　is　very　strange。　　Maybe　he　is　sick。〃
  〃Where　is　Michael？〃　Edith　asked。
  〃Got　up　a　little　ahead　of　us　and　went　outside；〃　Harkey　answered。
  Dutchy's　face　beamed　mischievously。　　He　pretended　knowledge　of
  Dennin's　absence；　and　affected　a　mysterious　air；　while　they
  clamored　for　information。　　Edith；　after　a　peep　into　the　men's　bunk…
  room；　returned　to　the　table。　　Hans　looked　at　her；　and　she　shook　her
  head。
  〃He　was　never　late　at　meal…time　before；〃　she　remarked。
  〃I　cannot　understand；〃　said　Hans。　　〃Always　has　he　the　great
  appetite　like　the　horse。〃
  〃It　is　too　bad；〃　Dutchy　said；　with　a　sad　shake　of　his　head。
  They　were　beginning　to　make　merry　over　their　comrade's　absence。
  〃It　is　a　great　pity！〃　Dutchy　volunteered。
  〃What？〃　they　demanded　in　chorus。
  〃Poor　Michael；〃　was　the　mournful　reply。
  〃Well；　what's　wrong　with　Michael？〃　Harkey　asked。
  〃He　is　not　hungry　no　more；〃　wailed　Dutchy。　　〃He　has　lost　der
  appetite。　　He　do　not　like　der　grub。〃
  〃Not　from　the　way　he　pitches　into　it　up　to　his　ears；〃　remarked
  Harkey。
  〃He　does　dot　shust　to　be　politeful　to　Mrs。　Nelson；〃　was　Dutchy's
  quick　retort。　　〃I　know；　I　know；　and　it　is　too　pad。　　Why　is　he　not
  here？　　Pecause　he　haf　gone　out。　　Why　haf　he　gone　out？　　For　der
  defelopment　of　der　appetite。　　How　does　he　defelop　der　appetite？　　He
  walks　barefoots　in　der　snow。　　Ach！　don't　I　know？　　It　is　der　way　der
  rich　peoples　chases　after　der　appetite　when　it　is　no　more　and　is
  running　away。　　Michael　haf　sixteen　hundred　dollars。　　He　is　rich
  peoples。　　He　haf　no　appetite。　　Derefore；　pecause；　he　is　chasing　der
  appetite。　　Shust　you　open　der　door　und　you　will　see　his　barefoots
  in　der　snow。　　No；　you　will　not　see　der　appetite。　　Dot　is　shust　his
  trouble。　　When　he　sees　der　appetite　he　will　catch　it　und　come　to
  preak…fast。〃
  They　burst　into　loud　laughter　at　Dutchy's　nonsense。　　The　sound　had
  scarcely　died　away　when　the　door　opened　and　Dennin　came　in。　　All
  turned　to　look　at　him。　　He　was　carrying　a　shot…gun。　　Even　as　they
  looked；　he　lifted　it　to　his　shoulder　and　fired　twice。　　At　the　first
  shot　Dutchy　sank　upon　the　table；　overturning　his　mug　of　coffee；　his
  yellow　mop　of　hair　dabbling　in　his　plate　of　mush。　　His　forehead；
  which　pressed　upon　the　near　edge　of　the　plate；　tilted　the　plate　up
  against　his　hair　at　an　angle　of　forty…five　degrees。　　Harkey　was　in
  the　air；　in　his　spring　to　his　feet；　at　the　second　shot；　and　he
  pitched　face　down　upon　the　floor；　his　〃My　God！〃　gurgling　and　dying
  in　his　throat。
  It　was　the　unexpected。　　Hans　and　Edith　were　stunned。　　They　sat　at
  the　table　with　bodies　tense；　their　eyes　fixed　in　a　fascinated　gaze
  upon　the　murderer。　　Dimly　they　saw　him　through　the　smoke　of　the
  powder；　and　in　the　silence　nothing　was　to　be　heard　save　the　drip…
  drip　of　Dutchy's　spilled　coffee　on　the　floor。　　Dennin　threw　open
  the　breech　of　the　shot…gun；　ejecting　the　empty　shells。　　Holding　the
  gun　with　one　hand；　he　reached　with　the　other　into　his　pocket　for
  fresh　shells。
  He　was　thrusting　the　shells　into　the　gun　when　Edith　Nelson　was
  aroused　to　action。　　It　was　patent　that　he　intended　to　kill　Hans　and
  her。　　For　a　space　of　possibly　three　seconds　of　time　she　had　been
  dazed　and　paralysed　by　the　horrible　and　inconceivable　form　in　which
  the　unexpected　had　made　its　appearance。　　Then　she　rose　to　it　and
  grappled　with　it。　She　grappled　with　it　concretely；　making　a　cat…
  like　leap　for　the　murderer　and　gripping　his　neck…cloth　with　both
  her　hands。　　The　impact　of　her　body　sent　him　stumbling　backward
  several　steps。　　He　tried　to　shake　her　loose　and　still　retain　his
  hold　on　the　gun。　　This　was　awkward；　for　her　firm…fleshed　body　had
  become　a　cat's。　　She　threw　herself　to　one　side；　and　with　her　grip
  at　his　throat　nearly　jerked　him　to　the　floor。　　He　straightened
  himself　and　whirled　swiftly。　　Still　faithful　to　her　hold；　her　body
  followed　the　circle　of　his　whirl　so　that　her　feet　left　the　floor；
  and　she　swung　through　the　air　fastened　to　his　throat　by　her　hands。
  The　whirl　culminated　in　a　collision　with　a　chair；　and　the　man　and
  woman　crashed　to　the　floor　in　a　wild　struggling　fall　that　extended
  itself　across　half　the　length　of　the　room。
  Hans　Nelson　was　half　a　second　behind　his　wife　in　rising　to　the
  unexpected。　　His　nerve　processed　and　mental　processes　were　slower
  than　hers。　　His　was　the　grosser　organism；　and　it　had　taken　him　half
  a　second　longer　to　perceive；　and　determine；　and　proceed　to　do。　　She
  had　already　flown　at　Dennin　and　gripped　his　throat；　when　Hans
  sprang　to　his　feet。　　But　her　coolness　was　not　his。　　He　was　in　a
  blind　fury；　a　Berserker　rage。　　At　the　instant　he　sprang　from　his
  chair　his　mouth　opened　and　there　issued　forth　a　sound　that　was　half
  roar；　half　bellow。　　The　whirl　of　the　two　bodies　had　already
  started；　and　still　roaring；　or　bellowing；　he　pursued　this　whirl
  down　the　room；　overtaking　it　when　it　fell　to　the　floor。
  Hans　hurled　himself　upon　the　prostrate　man；　striking　madly　with　his
  fists。　　They　were　sledge…like　blows；　and　when　Edith　felt　Dennin's
  body　relax　she　loosed　her　grip　and　rolled　clear。　　She　lay　on　the
  floor；　panting　and　watching。　　The　fury　of　blows　continued　to　rain
  down。　　Dennin　did　not　seem　to　mind　the　blows。　　He　did　not　even
  move。　　Then　it　dawned　upon　her　that　he　was　unconscious。　　She　cried
  out　to　Hans　to　stop。　　She　cried　out　again。　　But　he　paid　no　heed　to
  her　voice。　　She　caught　him　by　the　arm；　but　her　clinging　to　it
  merely　impeded　his　effort。
  It　was　no　reasoned　impulse　that　stirred　her　to　do　what　she　then
  did。　　Nor　was　it　a　sense　of　pity；　nor　obedience　to　the　〃Thou　shalt
  not〃　of　religion。　　Rather　was　it　some　sense　of　law；　an　ethic　of　her
  race　and　early　environment；　that　compelled　her　to　interpose　her
  body　between　her　husband　and　the　helpless　murderer。　　It　was　not
  until　Hans　knew　he　was　striking　his　wife　that　he　ceased。　　He
  allowed　himself　to　be　shoved　away　by　her　in　much　the　same　way　that
  a　ferocious　but　obedient　dog　allows　itself　to　be　shoved　away　by　its
  master。　　The　analogy　went　even　farther。　　Deep　in　his　throat；　in　an
  animal…like　way；　Hans's　rage　still　rumbled；　and　several　times　he
  made　as　though　to　spring　back　upon　his　prey　and　was　only　prevented
  by　the　woman's　swiftly　interposed　body。
  Back　and　farther　back　Edith　shoved　her　husband。　　She　had　never　seen
  him　in　such　a　condition；　and　she　was　more　frightened　of　him　than
  she　had　been　of　Dennin　in　the　thick　of　the　struggle。　　She　could　not
  believe　that　this　raging　beast　was　her　Hans；　and　with　a　shock　she
  became　suddenly　aware　of　a　shrinking；　instinctive　fear　that　he
  might　snap　her　hand　in　his　teeth　like　any　wild　animal。　　For　some
  seconds；　unwilling　to　hurt　her；　yet　dogged　in　his　desire　to　return
  to　the　attack；　Hans　dodged　back　and　forth。　　But　she　resolutely
  dodged　with　him；　until　the　first　glimmerings　of　reason　returned　and
  he　gave　over。
  Both　crawled　to　their　feet。　　Hans　staggered　back　against　the　wall；
  where　he　leaned；　his　face　working；　in　his　throat　the　deep　and
  continuous　rumble　that　died　away　with　the　seconds　and　at　last
  ceased。　　The　time　for　the　reaction　had　come。　　Edith　stood　in　the
  middle　of　the　floor；　wringing　her　hands；　panting　and　gasping；　her
  whole　body　trembling　violently。
  Hans　looked　at　nothing；　but　Edith's　eyes　wandered　wildly　from
  detail　to　detail　of　what　had　taken　place。　　Dennin　lay　without
  movement。　　The　overturned　chair；　hurled　onward　in　the　mad　whirl；
  lay　near　him。　　Partly　under　him　lay　the　shot…gun；　still　broken　open
  at　the　breech。　　Spilling　out　of　his　right　hand　were　the　two
  cartridges　which　he　had　failed　to　put　into　the　gun　and　which　he　had
  clutched　until　consciousness　left　him。　　Harkey　lay　on　the　floor；
  face　downward；　where　he　had　fallen；　while　Dutchy　rested　forward　on
  the　table；　his　yellow　mop　of　hair　buried　in　his　mush…plate；　the
  plate　itself　still　tilted　at　an　angle　of　forty…five　degrees。　　This
  tilted　p