"Good-morning, Rhoda!" he said gravely.

The girl looked at the beautiful naked body and reddened.

"You beast!" she said clearly.

Kut-le looked at her with slightly contracted eyes. Then he spoke to
the fat squaw. She rose hastily and lifted a pot from the little fire
beside the spring. She dipped a steaming cup of broth from this and
brought it to Rhoda's side. The girl struck it away. Kut-le walked
slowly over, picked up the empty cup at which the squaw stood staring
stupidly and filled it once more at the kettle. Then he held it out to
Rhoda. His nearness roused the girl to frenzy. With difficulty she
brought her stiffened body to a sitting position. Her beautiful gray
eyes were black with her sense of outrage.

"Take it away, beast!" she panted.

Kut-le held her gaze.

"Drink it, Rhoda!" he said quietly.

The girl returned his look for a moment then, hating herself for her
weakness, she took the cup and drained it. Kut-le tossed the cup to
the squaw, pushed Rhoda back to her blankets and covered her very
gently. Then he went back to his boulder. The girl lay staring up at
the sky. Utterly merciless it gleamed above her. But before she could
more than groan she was asleep.

She slept as she had not slept for months. The slanting rays of the