play；　and　repeated　it　over　and　over　to　make　sure；　unaware　that
  madness　is　ever　prone　to　express　itself　in　make…believe　and　play。
  One　midwinter　day；　Father　Champreau；　a　Jesuit　missionary；　pulled
  into　Twenty　Mile。　　Bonner　fell　upon　him　and　dragged　him　into　the
  post；　and　clung　to　him　and　wept；　until　the　priest　wept　with　him
  from　sheer　compassion。　　Then　Bonner　became　madly　hilarious　and　made
  lavish　entertainment；　swearing　valiantly　that　his　guest　should　not
  depart。　　But　Father　Champreau　was　pressing　to　Salt　Water　on　urgent
  business　for　his　order；　and　pulled　out　next　morning；　with　Bonner's
  blood　threatened　on　his　head。
  And　the　threat　was　in　a　fair　way　toward　realization；　when　the
  Toyaats　returned　from　their　long　hunt　to　the　winter　camp。　　They　had
  many　furs；　and　there　was　much　trading　and　stir　at　Twenty　Mile。
  Also；　Jees　Uck　came　to　buy　beads　and　scarlet　cloths　and　things；　and
  Bonner　began　to　find　himself　again。　　He　fought　for　a　week　against
  her。　　Then　the　end　came　one　night　when　she　rose　to　leave。　　She　had
  not　forgotten　her　repulse；　and　the　pride　that　drove　Spike　O'Brien
  on　to　complete　the　North…West　Passage　by　land　was　her　pride。
  〃I　go　now；〃　she　said；　〃good…night；　Neil。〃
  But　he　came　up　behind　her。　　〃Nay；　it　is　not　well；〃　he　said。
  And　as　she　turned　her　face　toward　his　with　a　sudden　joyful　flash；
  he　bent　forward；　slowly　and　gravely；　as　it　were　a　sacred　thing；　and
  kissed　her　on　the　lips。　　The　Toyaats　had　never　taught　her　the
  meaning　of　a　kiss　upon　the　lips；　but　she　understood　and　was　glad。
  With　the　coming　of　Jees　Uck；　at　once　things　brightened　up。　　She　was
  regal　in　her　happiness；　a　source　of　unending　delight。　　The
  elemental　workings　of　her　mind　and　her　naive　little　ways　made　an
  immense　sum　of　pleasurable　surprise　to　the　over…civilized　man　that
  had　stooped　to　catch　her　up。　　Not　alone　was　she　solace　to　his
  loneliness；　but　her　primitiveness　rejuvenated　his　jaded　mind。　　It
  was　as　though；　after　long　wandering；　he　had　returned　to　pillow　his
  head　in　the　lap　of　Mother　Earth。　　In　short；　in　Jees　Uck　he　found
  the　youth　of　the　worldthe　youth　and　the　strength　and　the　joy。
  And　to　fill　the　full　round　of　his　need；　and　that　they　might　not　see
  overmuch　of　each　other；　there　arrived　at　Twenty　Mile　one　Sandy
  MacPherson；　as　companionable　a　man　as　ever　whistled　along　the　trail
  or　raised　a　ballad　by　a　camp…fire。　　A　Jesuit　priest　had　run　into
  his　camp；　a　couple　of　hundred　miles　up　the　Yukon；　in　the　nick　of
  time　to　say　a　last　word　over　the　body　of　Sandy's　partner。　　And　on
  departing；　the　priest　had　said；　〃My　son；　you　will　be　lonely　now。〃
  And　Sandy　had　bowed　his　head　brokenly。　　〃At　Twenty　Mile；〃　the
  priest　added；　〃there　is　a　lonely　man。　　You　have　need　of　each　other；
  my　son。〃
  So　it　was　that　Sandy　became　a　welcome　third　at　the　post；　brother　to
  the　man　and　woman　that　resided　there。　　He　took　Bonner　moose…hunting
  and　wolf…trapping；　and；　in　return；　Bonner　resurrected　a　battered
  and　way…worn　volume　and　made　him　friends　with　Shakespeare；　till
  Sandy　declaimed　iambic　pentameters　to　his　sled…dogs　whenever　they
  waxed　mutinous。　　And　of　the　long　evenings　they　played　cribbage　and
  talked　and　disagreed　about　the　universe；　the　while　Jees　Uck　rocked
  matronly　in　an　easy…chair　and　darned　their　moccasins　and　socks。
  Spring　came。　　The　sun　shot　up　out　of　the　south。　　The　land　exchanged
  its　austere　robes　for　the　garb　of　a　smiling　wanton。　　Everywhere
  light　laughed　and　life　invited。　　The　days　stretched　out　their　balmy
  length　and　the　nights　passed　from　blinks　of　darkness　to　no　darkness
  at　all。　　The　river　bared　its　bosom；　and　snorting　steamboats
  challenged　the　wilderness。　　There　were　stir　and　bustle；　new　faces；
  and　fresh　facts。　　An　assistant　arrived　at　Twenty　Mile；　and　Sandy
  MacPherson　wandered　off　with　a　bunch　of　prospectors　to　invade　the
  Koyokuk　country。　　And　there　were　newspapers　and　magazines　and
  letters　for　Neil　Bonner。　　And　Jees　Uck　looked　on　in　worriment；　for
  she　knew　his　kindred　talked　with　him　across　the　world。
  Without　much　shock；　it　came　to　him　that　his　father　was　dead。　　There
  was　a　sweet　letter　of　forgiveness；　dictated　in　his　last　hours。
  There　were　official　letters　from　the　Company；　graciously　ordering
  him　to　turn　the　post　over　to　the　assistant　and　permitting　him　to
  depart　at　his　earliest　pleasure。　　A　long；　legal　affair　from　the
  lawyers　informed　him　of　interminable　lists　of　stocks　and　bonds；
  real　estate；　rents；　and　chattels　that　were　his　by　his　father's
  will。　　And　a　dainty　bit　of　stationery；　sealed　and　monogramed；
  implored　dear　Neil's　return　to　his　heart…broken　and　loving　mother。
  Neil　Bonner　did　some　swift　thinking；　and　when　the　Yukon　Belle
  coughed　in　to　the　bank　on　her　way　down　to　Bering　Sea；　he　departed
  departed　with　the　ancient　lie　of　quick　return　young　and　blithe　on
  his　lips。
  〃I'll　come　back；　dear　Jees　Uck；　before　the　first　snow　flies；〃　he
  promised　her；　between　the　last　kisses　at　the　gang…plank。
  And　not　only　did　he　promise；　but；　like　the　majority　of　men　under
  the　same　circumstances；　he　really　meant　it。　　To　John　Thompson；　the
  new　agent；　he　gave　orders　for　the　extension　of　unlimited　credit　to
  his　wife；　Jees　Uck。　　Also；　with　his　last　look　from　the　deck　of　the
  Yukon　Belle；　he　saw　a　dozen　men　at　work　rearing　the　logs　that　were
  to　make　the　most　comfortable　house　along　a　thousand　miles　of　river
  frontthe　house　of　Jees　Uck；　and　likewise　the　house　of　Neil
  Bonnerere　the　first　flurry　of　snow。　　For　he　fully　and　fondly
  meant　to　come　back。　　Jees　Uck　was　dear　to　him；　and；　further；　a
  golden　future　awaited　the　north。　　With　his　father's　money　he
  intended　to　verify　that　future。　　An　ambitious　dream　allured　him。
  With　his　four　years　of　experience；　and　aided　by　the　friendly
  cooperation　of　the　P。　C。　Company；　he　would　return　to　become　the
  Rhodes　of　Alaska。　　And　he　would　return；　fast　as　steam　could　drive；
  as　soon　as　he　had　put　into　shape　the　affairs　of　his　father；　whom　he
  had　never　known；　and　comforted　his　mother；　whom　he　had　forgotten。
  There　was　much　ado　when　Neil　Bonner　came　back　from　the　Arctic。　　The
  fires　were　lighted　and　the　fleshpots　slung；　and　he　took　of　it　all
  and　called　it　good。　　Not　only　was　he　bronzed　and　creased；　but　he
  was　a　new　man　under　his　skin；　with　a　grip　on　things　and　a
  seriousness　and　control。　　His　old　companions　were　amazed　when　he
  declined　to　hit　up　the　pace　in　the　good　old　way；　while　his　father's
  crony　rubbed　hands　gleefully；　and　became　an　authority　upon　the
  reclamation　of　wayward　and　idle　youth。
  For　four　years　Neil　Bonner's　mind　had　lain　fallow。　　Little　that　was
  new　had　been　added　to　it；　but　it　had　undergone　a　process　of
  selection。　　It　had；　so　to　say；　been　purged　of　the　trivial　and
  superfluous。　　He　had　lived　quick　years；　down　in　the　world；　and；　up
  in　the　wilds；　time　had　been　given　him　to　organize　the　confused　mass
  of　his　experiences。　　His　superficial　standards　had　been　flung　to
  the　winds　and　new　standards　erected　on　deeper　and　broader
  generalizations。　　Concerning　civilization；　he　had　gone　away　with
  one　set　of　values；　had　returned　with　another　set　of　values。　　Aided；
  also；　by　the　earth　smells　in　his　nostrils　and　the　earth　sights　in
  his　eyes；　he　laid　hold　of　the　inner　significance　of　civilization；
  beholding　with　clear　vision　its　futilities　and　powers。　　It　was　a
  simple　little　philosophy　he　evolved。　　Clean　living　was　the　way　to
  grace。　　Duty　performed　was　sanctification。　　One　must　live　clean　and
  do　his　duty　in　order　that　he　might　work。　　Work　was　salvation。　　And
  to　work　toward　life　abundant；　and　more　abundant；　was　to　be　in　line
  with　the　scheme　of　things　and　the　will　of　God。
  Primarily；　he　was　of　the　city。　　And　his　fresh　earth　grip　and　virile
  conception　of　humanity　gave　him　a　finer　sense　of　civilization　and
  endeared　civilization　to　him。　　Day　by　day　the　people　of　the　city
  clung　closer　to　him　and　the　world　loomed　more　colossal。　　And；　day
  by　day；　Alaska　grew　more　remote　and　less　real。　　And　then　he　met
  Kitty　Sharona　woman　of　his　own　flesh　and　blood　and　kind；　a　woman
  who　put　her　hand　into　his　hand　and　drew　him　to　her；　till　he　forgot
  the　day　and　hour　and　the　time　of　the　year　the　first　snow　flies　on
  the　Yukon。
  Jees　Uck　moved　into　her　grand　log…house　and　dreamed　away　three
  golden　summer　months。　　Then　came　the　autumn；　post…haste　before　the
  down　rush　of　winter。　　The　air　grew　thin　and　sharp；　the　days　thin
  and　short。　　The　river　ran　sluggishly；　and　skin　ice　formed　in　the
  quiet　eddies。　　All　migratory　life　departed　south；　and　silence　fell
  upon　the　land。　　The　first　snow　flurries　came；　and　the　last　homing
  steamboat　bucked　desperately　into　the　running　mush　ice。　　Then　came
  the　hard　ice；　solid　cakes　and　sheets；　till　the　Yukon　ran　level　with
  its　banks。　　And　when　all　this　ceased　the　river　stood　still　and　the
  blinking　days　lost　themselves　in　the　darkness。
  John　Thompson；　the　new　agent；　laughed；　but　Jees　Uck　had　faith　in
  the　mischances　of　sea　and　river。　　Neil　Bonner　might　be　frozen　in
  anywhere　between　Chilkoot　Pass　and　St。　Michael's；　for　the　la