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be alone。 Often he went out of the quiet store； bare…headed and frantic；
and shook his fist at the blink of day that came over the southern sky…line。
And on still； cold nights he left his bed and stumbled into the frost； where
he assaulted the silence at the top of his lungs； as though it were some
tangible； sentiment thing that he might arouse； or he shouted at the
sleeping dogs till they howled and howled again。 One shaggy brute he
brought into the post； playing that it was the new man sent by Prentiss。
He strove to make it sleep decently under blankets at nights and to sit at
table and eat as a man should； but the beast； mere domesticated wolf that it
was； rebelled； and sought out dark corners and snarled and bit him in the
leg； and was finally beaten and driven forth。
Then the trick of personification seized upon Neil Bonner and
mastered him。 All the forces of his environment metamorphosed into
living； breathing entities and came to live with him。 He recreated the
primitive pantheon； reared an altar to the sun and burned candle fat and
bacon grease thereon； and in the unfenced yard； by the long…legged cache；
made a frost devil； which he was wont to make faces at and mock when
the mercury oozed down into the bulb。 All this in play； of course。 He
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said it to himself that it was in 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
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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。
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A long； legal affair from the lawyers informed him of interminable lists of
stocks and b