That was true enough, and Jenny knew it. But Chihuahua was a beast. He came over to her and put his arm about her waist and hugged her. "I love you, peretty," he whispered; "if de boss no come back, I kick Annawillee out and have you for klootchman!" It was as if he had struck her down and dragged her in the mud. She turned cold with horror. Oh, if George didn't come back what would she do: what would she do? "I love you, peretty Jenny!" said the hot breath of the beast. And Annawillee mourned upon the floor, but heard not. Annie took a drink. "Now, toketie, my own tenas Jenny, you have dlink," said Annie. She spoke in Chinook, and Jenny answered in it. It was the first time she had used the Jargon since she went to George. "Nika halo tikegh, I no want it," said Jenny. "You have it, pelton," said Annie. "What for, kahta you so fool? Him velly good whisky." "Take it, Jenny," said the hot breath in her ear. "I won't," said Jenny. She knew all it meant now. Again Chihuahua put his arm about her. She wrenched herself away from him and Annawillee saw what her man was doing, and scrambled to her feet. "Oh, you dam' man you do dat," she screamed jealously, forgetting her dead child and its dead father. "You s'ut up, dry up," said Chihuahua, "or I keek you, Annawillee." He took the bottle from Annie and drank. "I lov' Jenny, toketie Jenny; Jenny mia hermosa muchacha, and she lov' me." He caught at her again, and Annawillee came at him with her claws. He knocked her down, and she lay where she fell. Annie screamed at him. "You no do dat, Chihuahua. You leave Jenny alone, man. When Shautch Quin come back he keel you----" Chihuahua grinned. "He no come back no more. Pete fix him on the river, I sure of dat, Annie. Jenny she be my klootchman, eh, Jenny!" Jenny was as white as death. She had lived for more than a year with George and this was hell for her. And if George didn't come back! Chihuahua came staggering to her. She caught the empty bottle by the neck and stared at him with blazing eyes. He stopped. "You peretty devil!" said Chihuahua. "I lik' kees you all same, Jenny." "I'll keel you," she whispered. There was murder in her eyes, and drunk as he was he knew it. And Annie had picked up a burnt bar of iron that served her as a poker. Chihuahua quailed before them. "I on'y jhoke," he said. "My klootchman she Annawillee, very good woman, Annawillee. You geeve me one mo' dolla I get mo' whisky, Annie." But all Annie had to give him was the iron bar. "You bad man, you beas', you go!" And Chihuahua whitened, as he had done more than once before when Annie got mad. He went out like a lamb, and Jenny sat down on the bed, and sobbed for the first time as if her heart would break. And the fire still burnt, but without great flames. Some of the crowd went home. It was past two o'clock and soon would be dawn. "You no tak' my man, Jenny?" moaned Annawillee. "No, no, no," said Jenny.