Philip Steele of the Royal Northwest Mounted Police

encountered Buck Nome. The two men had not met since a month before at Nelson House, and "there was but little cordiality in Steele to say howdy to 'em," explained Nom

t the banter in the other's voice. He whi

get just such a 'job' as this," he reminded.

"All's fair in love and war. That was love down there, 'pon my word of h

e cabin. It was not the first time that he had listened to Nome's gloating chuckle at the

nnipeg; so that while other men despised him for what they knew, women admired and loved him-until, now

oment, his teeth gleamed in a smile as a vision rose before him of the love and purity which he had seen in the sweet face of the colonel's wife. He chuckled softly to himself as he dragged out a pack from under his bunk; but there was no humor in t

oil lamp with a tin reflector, a

thing leering and bobbing at him from the end of its string. "Mon Dieu, I tell you that when the lam

eturned. He waited a quarter of an hour longer, then put on his cap and coat and lighted the big oil lamp. At the door he turned

r Janette," he cried back softly

cigars over a ragged ledger of stupendous size, which the factor had spread out upon a small table, and both were deeply absorbed. Mrs. Becker was facing the fire, and close beside her sat Nome, leani

he fire, and that whenever the low laughter of Mrs. Becker and Nome came to them he paid less attention to the columns of figures which Breed was pointing out to him. When they rose to go into supper, Philip's blood boiled as Nome offered his arm to Mrs. Becker, who accepted it with a swift, laughing glance at the colonel. There was no response in the older man's pale

l's wife across the table. He saw a sudden, quick catch of breath in her throat; even as he

ell," she said. "Will

ut she turned quickly from him to the

oom," she begged. "Then

tartled him. For a few moments he stood alone, as Breed and Nome left th

tep, and Nom

a beauty!" he exclaime

wo red spots burned in Steele's cheeks as he adv

is fingers sinking deeper into Nome's arm. "Get your

closed again, and Steele shoved

tell him we'll be over to smoke an after-supper pipe with him a little later, will you? And give our compliments to-

me demanded when they were outside. "If

nel's wife, I mean. And you-" He laughed harshly. "You're always the lucky dog, Buck Nome. You think she's half in love wit

s of something in the other's voice

ou don't," re

when Mrs. Becker was taken ill, and when she turned a trifle pale, if you noticed sharply

first. Very coolly Philip turned and bolted the door. Then, throwing

d friend of mine, Buck-M'sie

s hands clenched to strike-only to look into the shining muzzle of Steele'

r's heart within you is a bull's-eye for this gun. It's M'sieur Janette's turn tonight," he went on, leaning over the little table, the red spots in his cheeks growing redder and brighter

his lips were almost snarling in

ly, his face ashen white. "You li

Steele's pistol

illed himself by accident. You lied. It was you who killed him-by taking his wife. I got his skull because I thought I might need it against you to show that it was

into the other man's face as

erself, and remembered again, just in time, and that you've taken a little blood from the colonel's heart as you took all of it from-his?" He reached up and broke the string that

kull slowly across the table, so close that a sudden m

and I," he went on, "and we've come to the conclusion that we won

Nome's hands had stolen to his side

nds, Bucky! There, that's

y obstacles in the way of your discharge although your enlistment hasn't expired. Disability is an easy plea, you know. But if the inspector should think so much of you that he is loath to let you go, then M'sieur Janette and I will have to fix up the story for headquarters, and I don't mind telling you we'll add just a little for interest, and that the woman and the people at Nelson House will swear to it.

d God, man-" Nome had half risen

and Philip took

Breed and the colonel, tell them the story of M'sieur Janette, here, and hold y

filled his pack with the necessities of a long journey. At the door, as he opened it to go

p in a quiet voice, "it's all for t

d now with a hatred so intense that his teet

ith the service; but remember, Philip Steel

Philip. "Good-by,

osed and No

ed Steele, smiling companionably upon the

me time puffed out luxurious

s eyes still upon the skull. "The very best, and it would be complete,

skull, as if it had spoken to him and its voice had transfixed him where he stood. Then he tossed his pipe upon the table, collected his service equipment and strap

ut you might-another. I'm going to send you to her, M'sieur. You're a terrible lesson, and I may be a beast; but you're preaching a powerful sermon, and I guess-perhaps-you

eed, the factor, in which he explained that he and Bucky Nome had found it necessary to leave that very night for the West. And he heavily underscored the lines in which he directed the factor to see that

of them was brighter than the others, and he knew that it came from the rooms which Breed had fitted up for the colonel and his wife. As Philip halted for a moment, his eyes drawn by a haunting fascination to that window, the light grew clearer and brighter, and he fancied that he saw a

ll him that he isn't the only man who's had an idol broken, and that Mrs.

ed his face into the thin trail that buri