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It led through the Indian encampment; and ever dodging, circling, and reversing, El-Soo and Porportuk appeared and disappeared among the tents. El-Soo seemed to balance herself against the air with her arms, now one side, now on the other, and sometimes her body, too, leaned out upon the air far from the perpendicular as she achieved her sharpest curves.
"No price did I pay for her," he answered. "She was above price. I did not measure her in gold-dust, nor in dogs, and tents, and furs." The old men debated among themselves and mumbled in undertones. "These old men are ice," Akoon said in English. "I will not listen to their judgment, Porportuk. If you take El-Soo, I will surely kill you." The old men ceased and regarded him suspiciously.
The dog runs away. It is your loss. I am your dog. What if I run away?" "As the owner of the dog, I shall beat you " "When you catch me?" "When I catch you." "Then catch me." He reached swiftly for her, but she eluded him. She laughed as she circled around the table. "Catch her!" Porportuk commanded the Indian with the rifle, who stood near to her.
He hunted some and fished some, but never far from Tana-naw Station, and he was at the large house often and long. And El-Soo measured him against many men and found him good. He sang songs to her, and was ardent and glowed until all Tana- naw Station knew he loved her. And Porportuk but grinned and advanced more money for the upkeep of the large house. Then came the death table of Klakee-Nah.
Now let the woman be brought to me." Akoon gritted his teeth. The young men took El-Soo by the arms. She did not resist, and was led, her face a sullen flame, to Porportuk. "Sit there at my feet till I have made my talk," he commanded. He paused a moment. "It is true," he said, "I am an old man. Yet can I understand the ways of youth. The fire has not all gone out of me.
Such was my will. But my will with you was that I should never be your wife. Wherefore, I am your dog." Porportuk knew that he played with fire, and he resolved to play firmly. "Then I speak to you, not as El-Soo, but as a dog," he said; "and I tell you to come with me." He half reached to grip her arm, but with a gesture she held him back. "Not so fast, Porportuk. You buy a dog.
The crowd had eyes for naught but Akoon, and the rifle of Porportuk's man lay across the hollow of his arm, the muzzle directed at Akoon a yard away, the man's thumb on the hammer. But Akoon did nothing. "Make out the bill of sale," Porportuk said grimly. And Tommy made out the till of sale, wherein all right and title in the woman El-Soo was vested in the man Porportuk.
Klakee-Nah sobered and looked at him, then reached for his glass, but could not touch it. A slave passed it to him, and glass and liquor he flung into the face of Porportuk. "Turn him out!" Klakee-Nah thundered to the waiting table that strained like a pack of hounds in leash. "And roll him in the snow!"
"Is it true talk?" he asked each of Porportuk's six young men. And each answered that it was true. "Is it true talk?" he asked El-Soo, and she answered, "It is true." "But Porportuk has not told that he is an old man," Akoon said, "and that he has daughters older than El-Soo." "It is true, Porportuk is an old man," said El-Soo.
Stooping, Porportuk crossed El-Soo's feet, so that the instep of one lay over that of the other; and then, before his purpose could be divined, he discharged his rifle through the two ankles. As Akoon struggled to rise against the weight of the young men, there was heard the crunch of the broken bone rebroken. "It is just," said the old men, one to another. El-Soo made no sound.
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