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and they met with snap and snarl； and wicked looks； for Leclere's
upper lip had a wolfish way of lifting and showing the white； cruel
teeth。 And it lifted then； and his eyes glinted viciously； as he
reached for Batard and dragged him out from the squirming litter。
It was certain that they divined each other； for on the instant
Batard had buried his puppy fangs in Leclere's hand； and Leclere；
thumb and finger； was coolly choking his young life out of him。
〃SACREDAM；〃 the Frenchman said softly； flirting the quick blood
from his bitten hand and gazing down on the little puppy choking
and gasping in the snow。
Leclere turned to John Hamlin； storekeeper of the Sixty Mile Post。
〃Dat fo' w'at Ah lak heem。 'Ow moch； eh； you； M'sieu'？ 'Ow moch？
Ah buy heem； now； Ah buy heem queek。〃
And because he hated him with an exceeding bitter hate； Leclere
bought Batard and gave him his shameful name。 And for five years
the twain adventured across the Northland； from St。 Michael's and
the Yukon delta to the head…reaches of the Pelly and even so far as
the Peace River； Athabasca； and the Great Slave。 And they acquired
a reputation for uncompromising wickedness； the like of which never
before attached itself to man and dog。
Batard did not know his fatherhence his namebut； as John Hamlin
knew； his father was a great grey timber wolf。 But the mother of
Batard； as he dimly remembered her； was snarling； bickering；
obscene； husky； full…fronted and heavy…chested； with a malign eye；
a cat…like grip on life； and a genius for trickery and evil。 There
was neither faith nor trust in her。 Her treachery alone could be
relied upon； and her wild…wood amours attested her general
depravity。 Much of evil and much of strength were there in these；
Batard's progenitors； and； bone and flesh of their bone and flesh；
he had inherited it all。 And then came Black Leclere； to lay his
heavy hand on the bit of pulsating puppy life； to press and prod
and mould till it became a big bristling beast； acute in knavery；
overspilling with hate； sinister； malignant； diabolical。 With a
proper master Batard might have made an ordinary； fairly efficient
sled…dog。 He never got the chance： Leclere but confirmed him in
his congenital iniquity。
The history of Batard and Leclere is a history of warof five
cruel； relentless years； of which their first meeting is fit
summary。 To begin with； it was Leclere's fault； for he hated with
understanding and intelligence； while the long…legged； ungainly
puppy hated only blindly； instinctively； without reason or method。
At first there were no refinements of cruelty （these were to come
later）； but simple beatings and crude brutalities。 In one of these
Batard had an ear injured。 He never regained control of the riven
muscles； and ever after the ear drooped limply down to keep keen
the memory of his tormentor。 And he never forgot。
His puppyhood was a period of foolish rebellion。 He was always
worsted； but he fought back because it was his nature to fight
back。 And he was unconquerable。 Yelping shrilly from the pain of
lash and club； he none the less contrived always to throw in the
defiant snarl； the bitter vindictive menace of his soul which
fetched without fail more blows and beatings。 But his was his
mother's tenacious grip on life。 Nothing could kill him。 He
flourished under misfortune； grew fat with famine； and out of his
terrible struggle for life developed a preternatural intelligence。
His were the stealth and cunning of the husky； his mother； and the
fierceness and valour of the wolf； his father。
Possibly it was because of his father that he never wailed。 His
puppy yelps passed with his lanky legs； so that he became grim and
taciturn； quick to strike； slow to warn。 He answered curse with
snarl； and blow with snap； grinning the while his implacable
hatred； but never again； under the extremest agony； did Leclere
bring from him the cry of fear nor of pain。 This unconquerableness
but fanned Leclere's wrath and stirred him to greater deviltries。
Did Leclere give Batard half a fish and to his mates whole ones；
Batard went forth to rob other dogs of their fish。 Also he robbed
caches and expressed himself in a thousand rogueries； till he
became a terror to all dogs and masters of dogs。 Did Leclere beat
Batard and fondle BabetteBabette who was not half the worker he
waswhy； Batard threw her down in the snow and broke her hind leg
in his heavy jaws； so that Leclere was forced to shoot her。
Likewise； in bloody battles； Batard mastered all his team…mates；
set them the law of trail and forage； and made them live to the law
he set。
In five years he heard but one kind word； received but one soft
stroke of a hand； and then he did not know what manner of things
they were。 He leaped like the untamed thing he was； and his jaws
were together in a flash。 It was the missionary at Sunrise； a
newcomer in the country； who spoke the kind word and gave the soft
stroke of the hand。 And for six months after； he wrote no letters
home to the States； and the surgeon at McQuestion travelled two
hundred miles on the ice to save him from blood…poisoning。
Men and dogs looked askance at Batard when he drifted into their
camps and posts。 The men greeted him with feet threateningly
lifted for the kick； the dogs with bristling manes and bared fangs。
Once a man did kick Batard； and Batard； with quick wolf snap；
closed his jaws like a steel trap on the man's calf and crunched
down to the bone。 Whereat the man was determined to have his life；
only Black Leclere； with ominous eyes and naked hunting…knife；
stepped in between。 The killing of Batardah； SACREDAM； THAT was
a pleasure Leclere reserved for himself。 Some day it would happen；
or elsebah！ who was to know？ Anyway； the problem would be
solved。
For they had become problems to each other。 The very breath each
drew was a challenge and a menace to the other。 Their hate bound
them together as love could never bind。 Leclere was bent on the
coming of the day when Batard should wilt in spirit and cringe and
whimper at his feet。 And BatardLeclere knew what was in Batard's
mind； and more than once had read it in Batard's eyes。 And so
clearly had he read； that when Batard was at his back； he made it a
point to glance often over his shoulder。
Men marvelled when Leclere refused large money for the dog。 〃Some
day you'll kill him and be out his price；〃 said John Hamlin once；
when Batard lay panting in the snow where Leclere had kicked him；
and no one knew whether his ribs were broken； and no one dared look
to see。
〃Dat；〃 said Leclere； dryly； 〃dat is my biz'ness； M'sieu'。〃
And the men marvelled that Batard did not run away。 They did not
understand。 But Leclere understood。 He was a man who lived much
in the open； beyond the sound of human tongue； and he had learned
the voices of wind and storm； the sigh of night； the whisper of
dawn； the clash of day。 In a dim way he could hear the green
things growing； the running of the sap； the bursting of the bud。
And he knew the subtle speech of the things that moved； of the
rabbit in the snare； the moody raven beating the air with hollow
wing； the baldface shuffling under the moon； the wolf like a grey
shadow gliding betwixt the twilight and the dark。 And to him
Batard spoke clear and direct。 Full well he understood why Batard
did not run away； and he looked more often over his shoulder。
When in anger； Batard was not nice to look upon； and more than once
had he leapt for Leclere's throat； to be stretched quivering and
senseless in the snow； by the butt of the ever ready dogwhip。 And
so Batard learned to bide his time。 When he reached his full
strength and prime of youth； he thought the time had come。 He was
broad…chested； powerfully muscled； of far more than ordinary size；
and his neck from head to shoulders was a mass of bristling hair
to all