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sleep。 He would have given his Sunrise claim to be assured that the dog
was not awake； and once； when one of his joints cracked； he looked
quickly and guiltily at Batard to see if he roused。 He did not rouse then
but a few minutes later he got up slowly and lazily； stretched； and looked
carefully about him。
〃Sacredam；〃 said Leclere under his breath。
Assured that no one was in sight or hearing； Batard sat down； curled
his upper lip almost into a smile； looked up at Leclere； and licked his
chops。
〃Ah see my feenish；〃 the man said； and laughed sardonically aloud。
Batard came nearer； the useless ear wabbling； the good ear cocked
forward with devilish comprehension。 He thrust his head on one side
quizzically； and advanced with mincing； playful steps。 He rubbed his
body gently against the box till it shook and shook again。 Leclere
teetered carefully to maintain his equilibrium。
〃Batard；〃 he said calmly； 〃look out。 Ah keel you。〃
Batard snarled at the word and shook the box with greater force。 Then
he upreared； and with his fore paws threw his weight against it higher up。
Leclere kicked out with one foot； but the rope bit into his neck and
checked so abruptly as nearly to overbalance him。
〃Hi； ya！ Chook！ Mush…on！〃 he screamed。
Batard retreated； for twenty feet or so； with a fiendish levity in his
bearing that Leclere could not mistake。 He remembered the dog often
breaking the scum of ice on the water hole by lifting up and throwing his
weight upon it； and remembering； he understood what he now had in mind。
Batard faced about and paused。 He showed his white teeth in a grin；
which Leclere answered； and then hurled his body through the air； in full
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The Faith of Men
charge； straight for the box。
Fifteen minutes later； Slackwater Charley and Webster Shaw returning；
caught a glimpse of a ghostly pendulum swinging back and forth in the
dim light。 As they hurriedly drew in closer； they made out the man's inert
body； and a live thing that clung to it； and shook and worried； and gave to
it the swaying motion。
〃Hi； ya！ Chook！ you Spawn of Hell！〃 yelled Webster Shaw。
But Batard glared at him； and snarled threateningly； without loosing
his jaws。
Slackwater Charley got out his revolver； but his hand was shaking； as
with a chill； and he fumbled。
〃Here you take it；〃 he said； passing the weapon over。
Webster Shaw laughed shortly； drew a sight between the gleaming
eyes； and pressed the trigger。 Batard's body twitched with the shock；
threshed the ground spasmodically for a moment； and went suddenly limp。
But his teeth still held fast locked。
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The Faith of Men
THE STORY OF JEES' UCK
There have been renunciations and renunciations。 But； in its essence；
renunciation is ever the same。 And the paradox of it is； that men and
women forego the dearest thing in the world for something dearer。 It was
never otherwise。 Thus it was when Abel brought of the firstlings of his
flock and of the fat thereof。 The firstlings and the fat thereof were to him
the dearest things in the world； yet he gave them over that he might be on
good terms with God。 So it was with Abraham when he prepared to offer
up his son Isaac on a stone。 Isaac was very dear to him； but God； in
incomprehensible ways； was yet dearer。 It may be that Abraham feared
the Lord。 But whether that be true or not it has since been determined by
a few billion people that he loved the Lord and desired to serve him。
And since it has been determined that love is service； and since to
renounce is to serve； then Jees Uck； who was merely a woman of a swart…
skinned breed； loved with a great love。 She was unversed in history；
having learned to read only the signs of weather and of game； so she had
never heard of Abel nor of Abraham； nor； having escaped the good sisters
at Holy Cross； had she been told the story of Ruth； the Moabitess； who
renounced her very God for the sake of a stranger woman from a strange
land。 Jees Uck had learned only one way of renouncing； and that was
with a club as the dynamic factor； in much the same manner as a dog is
made to renounce a stolen marrow…bone。 Yet； when the time came； she
proved herself capable of rising to the height of the fair…faced royal races
and of renouncing in right regal fashion。
So this is the story of Jees Uck； which is also the story of Neil Bonner；
and Kitty Bonner； and a couple of Neil Bonner's progeny。 Jees Uck was of
a swart…skinned breed； it is true； but she was not an Indian； nor was she an
Eskimo； nor even an Innuit。 Going backward into mouth tradition； there
appears the figure of one Skolkz； a Toyaat Indian of the Yukon； who
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journeyed down in his youth to the Great Delta where dwell the Innuits；
and where he foregathered with a woman remembered as Olillie。 Now
the woman Olillie had been bred from an Eskimo mother by an Innuit man。
And from Skolkz and Olillie came Halie； who was one…half Toyaat Indian；
one…quarter Innuit； and one…quarter Eskimo。 And Halie was the
grandmother of Jees Uck。
Now Halie； in whom three stocks had been bastardized； who cherished
no prejudice against further admixture； mated with a Russian fur trader
called Shpack； also known in his time as the Big Fat。 Shpack is herein
classed Russian for lack of a more adequate term； for Shpack's father； a
Slavonic convict from the Lower Provinces； had escaped from the
quicksilver mines into Northern Siberia； where he knew Zimba； who was a
woman of the Deer People and who became the mother of Shpack； who
became the grandfather of Jees Uck。
Now had not Shpack been captured in his boyhood by the Sea People；
who fringe the rim of the Arctic Sea with their misery； he would not have
become the grandfath