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　plate　fascinated　her。　　Why　did　it　not　fall　down？　　It　was
  ridiculous。　　It　was　not　in　the　nature　of　things　for　a　mush…plate　to
  up…end　itself　on　the　table；　even　if　a　man　or　so　had　been　killed。
  She　glanced　back　at　Dennin；　but　her　eyes　returned　to　the　tilted
  plate。　　It　was　so　ridiculous！　　She　felt　a　hysterical　impulse　to
  laugh。　　Then　she　noticed　the　silence；　and　forgot　the　plate　in　a
  desire　for　something　to　happen。　　The　monotonous　drip　of　the　coffee
  from　the　table　to　the　floor　merely　emphasized　the　silence。　　Why　did
  not　Hans　do　something？　say　something？　　She　looked　at　him　and　was
  about　to　speak；　when　she　discovered　that　her　tongue　refused　its
  wonted　duty。　　There　was　a　peculiar　ache　in　her　throat；　and　her
  mouth　was　dry　and　furry。　　She　could　only　look　at　Hans；　who；　in
  turn；　looked　at　her。
  Suddenly　the　silence　was　broken　by　a　sharp；　metallic　clang。　　She
  screamed；　jerking　her　eyes　back　to　the　table。　　The　plate　had　fallen
  down。　　Hans　sighed　as　though　awakening　from　sleep。　　The　clang　of
  the　plate　had　aroused　them　to　life　in　a　new　world。　　The　cabin
  epitomized　the　new　world　in　which　they　must　thenceforth　live　and
  move。　　The　old　cabin　was　gone　forever。　　The　horizon　of　life　was
  totally　new　and　unfamiliar。　　The　unexpected　had　swept　its　wizardry
  over　the　face　of　things；　changing　the　perspective；　juggling　values；
  and　shuffling　the　real　and　the　unreal　into　perplexing　confusion。
  〃My　God；　Hans！〃　was　Edith's　first　speech。
  He　did　not　answer；　but　stared　at　her　with　horror。　　Slowly　his　eyes
  wandered　over　the　room；　for　the　first　time　taking　in　its　details。
  Then　he　put　on　his　cap　and　started　for　the　door。
  〃Where　are　you　going？〃　Edith　demanded；　in　an　agony　of
  apprehension。
  His　hand　was　on　the　door…knob；　and　he　half　turned　as　he　answered；
  〃To　dig　some　graves。〃
  〃Don't　leave　me；　Hans；　with　…　〃　her　eyes　swept　the　room　…　〃with
  this。〃
  〃The　graves　must　be　dug　sometime；〃　he　said。
  〃But　you　do　not　know　how　many；〃　she　objected　desperately。　　She
  noted　his　indecision；　and　added；　〃Besides；　I'll　go　with　you　and
  help。〃
  Hans　stepped　back　to　the　table　and　mechanically　snuffed　the　candle。
  Then　between　them　they　made　the　examination。　　Both　Harkey　and
  Dutchy　were　dead　…　frightfully　dead；　because　of　the　close　range　of
  the　shot…gun。　　Hans　refused　to　go　near　Dennin；　and　Edith　was　forced
  to　conduct　this　portion　of　the　investigation　by　herself。
  〃He　isn't　dead；〃　she　called　to　Hans。
  He　walked　over　and　looked　down　at　the　murderer。
  〃What　did　you　say？〃　Edith　demanded；　having　caught　the　rumble　of
  inarticulate　speech　in　her　husband's　throat。
  〃I　said　it　was　a　damn　shame　that　he　isn't　dead；〃　came　the　reply。
  Edith　was　bending　over　the　body。
  〃Leave　him　alone；〃　Hans　commanded　harshly；　in　a　strange　voice。
  She　looked　at　him　in　sudden　alarm。　　He　had　picked　up　the　shot…gun
  dropped　by　Dennin　and　was　thrusting　in　the　shells。
  〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　she　cried；　rising　swiftly　from　her
  bending　position。
  Hans　did　not　answer；　but　she　saw　the　shot…gun　going　to　his
  shoulder。　　She　grasped　the　muzzle　with　her　hand　and　threw　it　up。
  〃Leave　me　alone！〃　he　cried　hoarsely。
  He　tried　to　jerk　the　weapon　away　from　her；　but　she　came　in　closer
  and　clung　to　him。
  〃Hans！　　Hans！　　Wake　up！〃　she　cried。　　〃Don't　be　crazy！〃
  〃He　killed　Dutchy　and　Harkey！〃　was　her　husband's　reply；　〃and　I　am
  going　to　kill　him。〃
  〃But　that　is　wrong；〃　she　objected。　　〃There　is　the　law。〃
  He　sneered　his　incredulity　of　the　law's　potency　in　such　a　region；
  but　he　merely　iterated；　dispassionately；　doggedly；　〃He　killed
  Dutchy　and　Harkey。〃
  Long　she　argued　it　with　him；　but　the　argument　was　one…sided；　for　he
  contented　himself　with　repeating　again　and　again；　〃He　killed　Dutchy
  and　Harkey。〃　　But　she　could　not　escape　from　her　childhood　training
  nor　from　the　blood　that　was　in　her。　　The　heritage　of　law　was　hers；
  and　right　conduct；　to　her；　was　the　fulfilment　of　the　law。　　She
  could　see　no　other　righteous　course　to　pursue。　　Hans's　taking　the
  law　in　his　own　hands　was　no　more　justifiable　than　Dennin's　deed。
  Two　wrongs　did　not　make　a　right；　she　contended；　and　there　was　only
  one　way　to　punish　Dennin；　and　that　was　the　legal　way　arranged　by
  society。　　At　last　Hans　gave　in　to　her。
  〃All　right；〃　he　said。　　〃Have　it　your　own　way。　　And　to…morrow　or
  next　day　look　to　see　him　kill　you　and　me。〃
  She　shook　her　head　and　held　out　her　hand　for　the　shot…gun。　　He
  started　to　hand　it　to　her；　then　hesitated。
  〃Better　let　me　shoot　him；〃　he　pleaded。
  Again　she　shook　her　head；　and　again　he　started　to　pass　her　the　gun；
  when　the　door　opened；　and　an　Indian；　without　knocking；　came　in。　　A
  blast　of　wind　and　flurry　of　snow　came　in　with　him。　　They　turned　and
  faced　him；　Hans　still　holding　the　shot…gun。　　The　intruder　took　in
  the　scene　without　a　quiver。　　His　eyes　embraced　the　dead　and　wounded
  in　a　sweeping　glance。　　No　surprise　showed　in　his　face；　not　even
  curiosity。　　Harkey　lay　at　his　feet；　but　he　took　no　notice　of　him。
  So　far　as　he　was　concerned；　Harkey's　body　did　not　exist。
  〃Much　wind；〃　the　Indian　remarked　by　way　of　salutation。　　〃All　well？
  Very　well？〃
  Hans；　still　grasping　the　gun；　felt　sure　that　the　Indian　attributed
  to　him　the　mangled　corpses。　　He　glanced　appealingly　at　his　wife。
  〃Good　morning；　Negook；〃　she　said；　her　voice　betraying　her　effort。
  〃No；　not　very　well。　　Much　trouble。〃
  〃Good…by；　I　go　now；　much　hurry〃；　the　Indian　said；　and　without
  semblance　of　haste；　with　great　deliberation　stepping　clear　of　a　red
  pool　on　the　floor；　he　opened　the　door　and　went　out。
  The　man　and　woman　looked　at　each　other。
  〃He　thinks　we　did　it；〃　Hans　gasped；　〃that　I　did　it。〃
  Edith　was　silent　for　a　space。　　Then　she　said；　briefly；　in　a
  businesslike　way：
  〃Never　mind　what　he　thinks。　　That　will　come　after。　　At　present　we
  have　two　graves　to　dig。　　But　first　of　all；　we've　got　to　tie　up
  Dennin　so　he　can't　escape。〃
  Hans　refused　to　touch　Dennin；　but　Edith　lashed　him　securely；　hand
  and　foot。　　Then　she　and　Hans　went　out　into　the　snow。　　The　ground
  was　frozen。　　It　was　impervious　to　a　blow　of　the　pick。　　They　first
  gathered　wood；　then　scraped　the　snow　away　and　on　the　frozen　surface
  built　a　fire。　　When　the　fire　had　burned　for　an　hour；　several　inches
  of　dirt　had　thawed。　　This　they　shovelled　out；　and　then　built　a
  fresh　fire。　　Their　descent　into　the　earth　progressed　at　the　rate　of
  two　or　three　inches　an　hour。
  It　was　hard　and　bitter　work。　　The　flurrying　snow　did　not　permit　the
  fire　to　burn　any　too　well；　while　the　wind　cut　through　their　clothes
  and　chilled　their　bodies。　　They　held　but　little　conversation。　　The
  wind　interfered　with　speech。　　Beyond　wondering　at　what　could　have
  been　Dennin's　motive；　they　remained　silent；　oppressed　by　the　horror
  of　the　tragedy。　　At　one　o'clock；　looking　toward　the　cabin；　Hans
  announced　that　he　was　hungry。
  〃No；　not　now；　Hans；〃　Edith　answered。　　〃I　couldn't　go　back　alone
  into　that　cabin　the　way　it　is；　and　cook　a　meal。〃
  At　two　o'clock　Hans　volunteered　to　go　with　her；　but　she　held　him　to
  his　work；　and　four　o'clock　found　the　two　graves　completed。　　They
  were　shallow；　not　more　than　two　feet　deep；　but　they　would　serve　the
  purpose。　　Night　had　fallen。　　Hans　got　the　sled；　and　the　two　dead
  men　were　dragged　through　the　darkness　and　storm　to　their　frozen
  sepulchre。　　The　funeral　procession　was　anything　but　a　pageant。　　The
  sled　sank　deep　into　the　drifted　snow　and　pulled　hard。　　The　man　and
  the　woman　had　eaten　nothing　since　the　previous　day；　and　were　weak
  from　hunger　and　exhaustion。　　They　had　not　the　strength　to　resist
  the　wind；　and　at　times　its　buffets　hurled　them　off　their　feet。　　On
  several　occasions　the　sled　was　overturned；　and　they　were　compelled
  to　reload　it　with　its　sombre　freight。　　The　last　hundred　feet　to　the
  graves　was　up　a　steep　slope；　and　this　they　took　on　all　fours；　like
  sled…dogs；　making　legs　of　their　arms　and　thrusting　their　hands　into
  the　snow。　　Even　so；　they　were　twice　dragged　backward　by　the　weight
  of　the　sled；　and　slid　and　fell　down　the　hill；　the　living　and　the
  dead；　the　haul…ropes　and　the　sled；　in　ghastly　entanglement。
  〃To…morrow　I　will　put　up　head…boards　with　their　names；〃　Hans　said；
  when　the　graves　were　filled　in。
  Edith　was　sobbing。　　A　few　broken　sentences　had　been　all　she　was
  capable　of　in　the　way　of　a　funeral　service；　and　now　her　husband　was
  compelled　to　half…carry　her　back　to　the　cabin。
  Dennin　was　conscious。　　He　had　rolled　over　and　over　on　the　floor　in
  vain　efforts　to　free　himself。　　He　watched　Hans　and　Edith　with
  glittering　eyes；　but　made　no　attempt　to　speak。　　Hans　still　refused
  to　touch　the　murderer；　and　sullenly　watched　Edith　drag　him　across
  the　floor　to　the　men's　bunk…ro