So the day passed until mid-afternoon, when Nanette cleared away all signs of the celebration and locked Miki in his cage.  It was fortunate she was ahead of time, for scarcely was she done when Le Beau came into the edge of the clearing, and with him was Durant, his acquaintance and rival from the edge of the Barrens farther north.  Durant had sent his outfit on to Port O’ God by an Indian, and had struck south and west with two dogs and a sledge to visit a cousin for a day or two.  He was on his way to the Post when he came upon Le Beau on his trapline.

Thus much Le Beau told Nanette, and Nanette looked at Durant with startled eyes.  They were a good pair, Jacques and his guest, only that Durant was older.  She had become somewhat accustomed to the brutality in Le Beau’s face, but she thought that Durant was a monster.  He made her afraid, and she was glad when they went from the cabin.

“Now I will show you the Bete that is going to kill your POOS as easily as your lead-whelp killed that rabbit to-day, m’sieu,” exulted Jacques.  “I have told you but you have not seen!”

And he took with him the club and the whip.

Like a tiger fresh out of the jungles Miki responded to the club and the whip to-day, until Durant himself stood aghast, and exclaimed under his breath:  “Mon dieu! he is a devil!”

From the window Nanette saw what was happening, and out of her rose a cry of anguish.  Sudden as a burst of fire there arose in her—­triumphant at last and unafraid—­that thing which for years The Brute had crushed back:  her womanhood resurrected!  Her soul broken free of its shackles!  Her faith, her strength, her courage!  She turned from the window and ran to the door, and out over the snow to the cage; and for the first time in her life she struck at Le Beau, and beat fiercely at the arm that was wielding the club.

“You beast!” she cried.  “I tell you, you shall not!  Do you hear?  You shall not!”

Paralyzed with amazement, The Brute stood still.  Was this Nanette, his slave?  This wonderful creature with eyes that were glowing fire and defiance, and a look in her face that he had never seen in any woman’s face before?  Non—­impossible!  Hot rage rose in him, and with a single sweep of his powerful arm he flung her back so that she fell to the earth.  With a wild curse he lifted the bar of the cage door.

“I will kill him, now; I will kill him!” he almost shrieked.  “And it is you—­you—­you she-devil! who shall eat his heart alive!  I will force it down your throat:  I will—­”

He was dragging Miki forth by the chain.  The club rose as Miki’s head came through.  In another instant it would have beaten his head to a pulp—­but Nanette was between it and the dog like a flash, and the blow went wild.  It was with his fist that Le Beau struck out now, and the blow caught Nanette on the shoulder and sent her frail body down with a crash.  The Brute sprang upon her.  His fingers gripped in her thick, soft hair.