again。　In　this　way　we　came　to　the　fire。　Unga　was　at　his　side　on　the
  instant。　His　lips　moved　without　sound；　then　he　pointed　at　me；　that
  Unga　might　understand。　And　after　that　he　lay　in　the　snow；　very
  still；　for　a　long　while。　Even　now　is　he　there　in　the　snow。
  'I　said　no　word　till　I　had　cooked　the　ptarmigan。　Then　I　spoke　to
  her；　in　her　own　tongue；　which　she　had　not　heard　in　many　years。　She
  straightened　herself；　so；　and　her　eyes　were　wonder…wide；　and　she　asked
  who　I　was；　and　where　I　had　learned　that　speech。
  '〃I　am　Naass；〃　I　said。
  '〃You？〃　she　said。　〃You？〃　And　she　crept　close　that　she　might　look
  upon　me。
  '〃Yes；〃　I　answered；　〃I　am　Naass；　head　man　of　Akatan；　the　last　of　the
  blood；　as　you　are　the　last　of　the　blood。〃
  'And　she　laughed。　By　all　the　things　I　have　seen　and　the　deeds　I　have
  done　may　I　never　hear　such　a　laugh　again。　It　put　the　chill　to　my　soul；
  sitting　there　in　the　White　Silence；　alone　with　death　and　this　woman
  who　laughed。
  '〃Come！〃　I　said；　for　I　thought　she　wandered。　〃Eat　of　the　food　and
  let　us　be　gone。　It　is　a　far　fetch　from　here　to　Akatan。〃
  'But　she　shoved　her　face　in　his　yellow　mane；　and　laughed　till　it
  seemed　the　heavens　must　fall　about　our　ears。　I　had　thought　she　would
  be　overjoyed　at　the　sight　of　me；　and　eager　to　go　back　to　the　memory　of
  old　times；　but　this　seemed　a　strange　form　to　take。
  '〃Come！'　I　cried；　taking　her　strong　by　the　hand。　〃The　way　is　long
  and　dark。　Let　us　hurry！'
  '〃Where？〃　she　asked；　sitting　up；　and　ceasing　from　her　strange　mirth。
  '〃To　Akatan；〃　I　answered；　intent　on　the　light　to　grow　on　her　face　at
  the　thought。　But　it　became　like　his；　with　a　sneer　to　the　lips；　and
  cold　anger。
  '〃Yes；'　she　said；　〃we　will　go；　hand　in　hand；　to　Akatan；　you　and　I。
  And　we　will　live　in　the　dirty　huts；　and　eat　of　the　fish　and　oil；　and
  bring　forth　a　spawn…　a　spawn　to　be　proud　of　all　the　days　of　our
  life。　We　will　forget　the　world　and　be　happy；　very　happy。　It　is　good；
  most　good。　Come！　Let　us　hurry。　Let　us　go　back　to　Akatan。〃
  'And　she　ran　her　hand　through　his　yellow　hair；　and　smiled　in　a　way
  which　was　not　good。　And　there　was　no　promise　in　her　eyes。
  'I　sat　silent；　and　marveled　at　the　strangeness　of　woman。　I　went　back
  to　the　night　when　he　dragged　her　from　me　and　she　screamed　and　tore
  at　his　hair…　at　his　hair　which　now　she　played　with　and　would　not
  leave。　Then　I　remembered　the　price　and　the　long　years　of　waiting；
  and　I　gripped　her　close；　and　dragged　her　away　as　he　had　done。　And
  she　held　back；　even　as　on　that　night；　and　fought　like　a　she…cat　for
  its　whelp。　And　when　the　fire　was　between　us　and　the　man。　I　loosed　her；
  and　she　sat　and　listened。　And　I　told　her　of　all　that　lay　between；　of
  all　that　had　happened　to　me　on　strange　seas；　of　all　that　I　had　done　in
  strange　lands；　of　my　weary　quest；　and　the　hungry　years；　and　the
  promise　which　had　been　mine　from　the　first。　Aye；　I　told　all；　even　to
  what　had　passed　that　day　between　the　man　and　me；　and　in　the　days　yet
  young。　And　as　I　spoke　I　saw　the　promise　grow　in　her　eyes；　full　and
  large　like　the　break　of　dawn。　And　I　read　pity　there；　the　tenderness　of
  woman；　the　love；　the　heart　and　the　soul　of　Unga。　And　I　was　a　stripling
  again；　for　the　look　was　the　look　of　Unga　as　she　ran　up　the　beach；
  laughing；　to　the　home　of　her　mother。　The　stern　unrest　was　gone；　and
  the　hunger；　and　the　weary　waiting。　The　time　was　met。　I　felt　the　call
  of　her　breast；　and　it　seemed　there　I　must　pillow　my　head　and　forget。
  She　opened　her　arms　to　me；　and　I　came　against　her。　Then；　sudden；　the
  hate　flamed　in　her　eye；　her　hand　was　at　my　hip。　And　once；　twice；　she
  passed　the　knife。
  '〃Dog！〃　she　sneered；　as　she　flung　me　into　the　snow。　〃Swine！〃　And
  then　she　laughed　till　the　silence　cracked；　and　went　back　to　her　dead。
  'As　I　say；　once　she　passed　the　knife；　and　twice；　but　she　was　weak
  with　hunger；　and　it　was　not　meant　that　I　should　die。　Yet　was　I
  minded　to　stay　in　that　place；　and　to　close　my　eyes　in　the　last　long
  sleep　with　those　whose　lives　had　crossed　with　mine　and　led　my　feet
  on　unknown　trails。　But　there　lay　a　debt　upon　me　which　would　not　let　me
  rest。
  'And　the　way　was　long；　the　cold　bitter；　and　there　was　little　grub。
  The　Pellys　had　found　no　moose；　and　had　robbed　my　cache。　And　so　had　the
  three　white　men；　but　they　lay　thin　and　dead　in　their　cabins　as　I
  passed。　After　that　I　do　not　remember；　till　I　came　here；　and　found　food
  and　fire…　much　fire。'
  As　he　finished；　he　crouched　closely；　even　jealously；　over　the　stove。
  For　a　long　while　the　slush…lamp　shadows　played　tragedies　upon　the
  wall。
  'But　Unga！'　cried　Prince；　the　vision　still　strong　upon　him。
  'Unga？　She　would　not　eat　of　the　ptarmigan。　She　lay　with　her　arms
  about　his　neck；　her　face　deep　in　his　yellow　hair。　I　drew　the　fire
  close；　that　she　might　not　feel　the　frost；　but　she　crept　to　the　other
  side。　And　I　built　a　fire　there；　yet　it　was　little　good；　for　she
  would　not　eat。　And　in　this　manner　they　still　lie　up　there　in　the
  snow。'
  'And　you？'　asked　Malemute　Kid。
  'I　do　not　know；　but　Akatan　is　small；　and　I　have　little　wish　to　go
  back　and　live　on　the　edge　of　the　world。　Yet　is　there　small　use　in
  life。　I　can　go　to　Constantine；　and　he　will　put　irons　upon　me；　and
  one　day　they　will　tie　a　piece　of　rope；　so；　and　I　will　sleep　good。　Yet…
  no；　I　do　not　know。'
  'But；　Kid；'　protested　Prince；　'this　is　murder！'
  'Hush！'　commanded　Malemute　Kid。　'There　be　things　greater　than　our
  wisdom；　beyond　our　justice。　The　right　and　the　wrong　of　this　we
  cannot　say；　and　it　is　not　for　us　to　judge。'
  Naass　drew　yet　closer　to　the　fire。　There　was　a　great　silence；　and　in
  each　man's　eyes　many　pictures　came　and　went。
  THE　END