Porson drank down his liquor, and his glass hit the counter with angry force.

“They’re mush-faced hoodlams anyway,” he cried fiercely.  “Ther’ ain’t a thing wrong with the mills.  I’d bet a million on it.”

He stood up from the counter and thrust his hands deep in the pockets of his coat.  He was a powerful figure with legs like the tree trunks it was his work to see cut.  Quite abruptly he moved away, and Abe’s questioning eyes followed him.

He strode down amongst the scattered tables and came to a halt before the tweed-coated stranger.  All the men looked up, and their talk died out.

“Say, what’s your bizness around here?”

Ole Person’s manner was threatening as he made his demand.  The stranger dived at the bag lying on the floor beside his chair.  He picked it up and flung it open.

“Why, I got right here the dandiest outfit of swell jewellery,” he cried, grinning amiably up at the man’s threatening eyes.  “There’s just everything here,” he went on, with irrepressible volubility, “to suit you gents of the forest, an’ make you the envy of every jack way down at Sachigo.  Here, there’s a be-autiful Prince Albert for your watch.  This ring.  It’s full o’ diamonds calculated to set Kimberly hollerin’.  Maybe you fancy a locket with it.  It’ll take a whole bunch of your dame’s—­”

“You’ll light right out of this camp with daylight to-morrow!”

The tone of the camp-boss banished the last shadow of the pedlar’s cast-iron smile.

“Oh, yes?” he said, his eyes hardening.

“That’s wot I said.  This camp’s private property an’ you’ll light out.  You get that?  Daylight.  If you don’t, we’ve a way of dealing with Jew drummers that’ll likely worry you.  Get it.  An’ get it good.”

For a moment they looked into each other’s eyes.  There was not the flicker of an eyelid between them.  Then Porson turned and strode away.

He passed down the store re-fastening his coat.  He paused at the door as a chorus of rough laughter reached him from the little gathering at the table.  But it was only for an instant.  He looked back.  No face was turned in his direction.  So he passed out.

* * * * *

The night outside was inky black.  The heavy falling snow made progress almost a blind groping.  But Porson knew every inch of the way.  He passed down the lines of huts and paused outside each bunkhouse.  His reason was obvious.  There was a question in his mind as to the whereabouts of the crowd of his men who usually thronged the liquor store at this hour of the evening.

It was at the last bunkhouse he paused longest.  He stood for quite a while listening under the double glassed window.  Then he passed on and stood beside the tightly closed storm-door.  The signs and sounds he heard were apparently sufficient.  For, after a while, he turned back and set out to return to his quarters.