the enclosure and crouched in a corner of the igloo.
The natives effusively gathered about Papik, who bent over his dog with
proud affection. In the excitement Ahningnetty quickly left the igloo,
and standing outside gazed meditatively at the stars. They hung in the
sky above like great pendulous jewels, palpitant with interior
name--there were purple stars, and blue stars, and orange-colored
stars; some resembled monstrous amethysts, some emeralds fierily green,
some rubies spitting sparks vindictively red; others globular sheeny
pearls, creamy of lustre but shot with faint gleams of rose; and
fugitively sprinkling the firmament here and there were orbs that
glistened like diamonds, wonderfully and purely white. Saturn,
distinct among all the heavenly bodies, throbbed with a van-colored
changing glow like a bulbous opal, and about it, with a strange
shimmer, visibly swirled its iridescent rings.
"Thou standest alone--thou wouldst leave me?" Papik, eager,
triumphant, questioning, emerged from the stone entrance to the house
and approached the girl. The other natives, homeward bent, followed.
The girl was silent.
"Methought thou wouldst be glad----"
"Thy dog is strong," the girl replied.
"Dost thou love that dotard Attalaq?"
"No," the maid replied. "He is clumsy as the musk ox."
They turned, walking toward the igloo occupied by Ahningnetty and her
aged father.
"Wilt thou not be Papik's wife?" Papik pleaded. "My shelter is
cold--little meat have I. The white men robbed the tribe. But
perchance the bears come--then I shall kill them; valiant is my dog."
He patted the animal's shaggy head.
"But thy fingers, Papik--Papik! No--no!"
"But Papik loves thee," he protested; "his skin flushes with the
thought of thee."
"That thou didst also say to Annadoah, whom thou didst seek before me."
Papik was silent; it was true that Ahningnetty was only a second choice.
At that moment an ominous noise was heard on the sea. The tide, in
moving, caused the massive floe-ice to grate against that adhering to
the shore. To the simple natives, the noise indicated something more
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