But the safeguard of propriety was also a danger.  Because Link had permitted a certain light to glow in his eyes Lawler had knocked him down.  If the four of them were to remain in the cabin for any length of time, there would be periods when he must sleep.  And then Link——­

Lawler’s thoughts broke off here, for he heard a sound at the door—­Givens’ voice, saying hoarsely: 

“For God’s sake, Boss, let us in!  We’re freezin’ to death!”

Lawler got up and walked to the door.  He hesitated as he lifted the bar, telling Miss Wharton to wrap the blanket tightly around her in anticipation of the rush of wind.  When he saw that she obeyed him, he swung the door open.

As Lawler opened the door he stepped back with it, escaping by inches the sweep of an axe blade that caught the light from the lamp and shimmered brightly in a half-circle as it was swung with the malignant force of Link’s arms.

The blade of the axe struck the floor, sinking deep into the boards; while Link, hurled off balance by the viciousness of his attack, tumbled headlong after the axe, sprawling on his hands and knees on the cabin floor, muttering curses.

CHAPTER XX

THE “KILLING”

For an instant following the attack there was no change in the scene inside the cabin.  Surprise that Lawler had escaped his blow seemed to retard Link’s movements quite as much as the force of his fall.  For he floundered on the floor, unable to get his feet under him; while the bitter wind, howling in through the open door, hurled a blinding avalanche of white clear to the fireplace.  On the floor in the smother of white was Link, and near him the handle of the axe stuck rigidly upward, its blade buried deeply in the floor.

Della Wharton had been watching Lawler as he opened the door, and she had seen what quickly had followed.  Now, though a nameless terror had seized her, she still watched, unable to withdraw her gaze, powerless to move or to open her lips.

She saw Lawler standing where he had halted when he had opened the door—­one hand grasping the bar that he had lifted when he had drawn the door back; the other hanging at his side.  She saw him dimly through the driving mist that was between them, but he loomed big, gigantic, as he stood there, motionless in the instant following the attack, watching Link.

Then the scene changed swiftly.  Link was still on the floor when Givens leaped into the cabin.  He held a heavy piece of cordwood in one hand, and as he entered the door he paused for an instant, plainly blinded by the light and the snow.  His face was hideous with passion.

Until now, the lamp had been fluttering in the rush of wind.  As Givens stood, trying to peer around him, the light spluttered and went out, plunging the cabin into a darkness but little relieved by the dull, red flames in the fireplace.