So far he had gone, determined that, if the man would not stop for his commands, he should be collared and dragged back by main force to face the thing which he had brought, but by degrees even the angry young man perceived the futility of chasing mad cattle.

He drew up panting, and, turning, walked back once more.

He did not walk slowly; he was in no frame to loiter and his run had brought such a flush of heat upon him that it would have been madness to linger in the bitter cold.

At the same time, while his legs moved rapidly, his mind certainly hesitated--in fact, it almost halted, unable to foresee in the least what its next opinion or decision would be.

He was not a man to pause in order to make up his mind.