yielded him a degree of satisfaction.

He took no advantage of the leisure to reconsider and weigh the
circumstantial evidence against Indian Jake. He had accepted it as
conclusive proof of the half-breed's guilt and he had already
convicted him of the crime. Once Eli had arrived at a conclusion his
mind was closed to any line of reasoning that might tend to
controvert that conclusion. He prided himself upon this characteristic
as strength of will, while in reality it was a weakness. But Eli was
like many another man who has enjoyed greater opportunities in the
world than ever fell to Eli's lot.

Once Eli had set himself upon a trail he never turned his back upon
the object he sought or weakened in his determination to attain it.
His object now was to overtake Indian Jake and have the matter out
with the half-breed once and for all. Well directed, this trait of
unyielding determination is an excellent one. It is the foundation of
success in life if the object sought is a worthy one. But in this
instance Eli's objective was not alone the recovery of the silver fox
skin, though this was the chief incentive. Coupled with it was a
desire for vengeance, prompted by hate, and vengeance is the child of
the weakest and meanest of human passions.

When Eli had eaten he shouldered his rifle and strolled back into the
forest. Presently he flushed a covey of spruce grouse, which rose from
the ground and settled in a tree. Flinging his rifle to his shoulder,
he fired and a grouse tumbled to the ground. He fired again, and
another fell. The living birds, with a great noise of wings, now
abandoned the tree and Eli picked up the two victims. He had clipped
their heads off neatly. This he observed with satisfaction. His rifle