The two had come out of the melee with bruised heads, and Vanne with a bullet in his calf.

But soon afterwards came Christine's elopement with Vanne, of which no one knew save her father, Nicolas, Shangois and Vanne himself.

That ended their compact, and, after a bitter quarrel, they had parted and had never met nor seen each other till this very afternoon.
"Yes, I know your whistle all right," answered Nicolas, with a twist of the shoulder.
"Aren't you going to shake hands ?" asked Castine, with a sort of sneer on his face.
Nicolas thrust his hands down in his pockets.

"I'm not so glad to see you as all that," he answered, with a contemptuous laugh.
The black eyes of the bear-leader were alive with anger.
"You're a damn' fool, Nic Lavilette.

You think because I lead a bear--eh?
Pshaw! you shall see.