The man nodded in the direction of the woods at the back of the fort.
"Back there," he said. Then his manner became urgent. "Say, once we saw the end was coming ther' wasn't a thing left undone to make her easy. Lu-cana'll tell you that. We sat with her the whole time, and did all we knew. And we buried her deep down wher' the wolves couldn't reach her, and I set up a cross I fixed myself, and cut her name deep on it so it'll take years to lose."
Keeko recognized a sort of defence in the man's words and in his manner. It seemed to be his paramount purpose. She saw in him not a sign of real sorrow, real regret. Contempt and bitterness rose and robbed her of all discretion.
"When you saw the end coming!" she replied scornfully.
But Nicol ignored the tone.
"Yes," he said deliberately. "She didn't go short of a thing we could do—Lu-cana and me. We did our best-I don't guess you could have done a thing more. Will you come along up, an'—I'll show you."
"No!"
The reply was fierce. Keeko was at the extremity of restraint. She could no longer endure the man's presence. She could no longer listen to him.
"There's the pelts," she cried, pointing. "See to them. That's your work." Then she looked him squarely in the eyes. "The other is for me—alone."
Nicol submitted. He had no alternative. And Keeko hurried away up to the fort.