He began to resent it keenly.

Even Doret and the trader seemed to share the general feeling, hence the thought of the long, lonesome winter approaching reduced the Lieutenant to a state of black despondency, deepened by the knowledge that he now had an open enemy in camp in the person of Runnion.

Then, too, he had taken a morbid dislike to the new man, Stark.

So that, all in all, the youth felt he had good reason to be in the dumps this afternoon.

There was nothing desirable in this place--everything undesirable--except Necia.