A Mating in the Wilds | Page 6

blood rioting in Stane's heart. He stood and watched
them until they reached the wharf, saw them step into a canoe, and then,
both of them paddling, they thrust out to the broad bosom of the river.
Not till then did he avert his gaze, and turn again to the store. The great
man of the company was still talking to the half-breed, and the other
half-breed had risen from his seat and was staring into the store. He
looked round as Stane approached him.
"By gar," he said enthusiastically, "dat one very fine squaw-girl dere."
Stane looked forward through the open doorway, and standing near the
long counter, watching a tall Indian bartering with the factor, saw the
beautiful Indian girl from the neighbouring camp. He nodded an
affirmative, and seeing an opportunity to obtain information turned and
spoke to the man.
"Yes, but that girl there with Mr. Ainley----"
"Oui, m'sieu. But she no squaw-girl. She grand person who make' ze
tour with ze governor."
"Oh, the governor makes the tour, does he?"
"Oui, oui! In the old style, with a brigade of boats, and a bugler. A
summer trip, vous comprenez--a picnic to all ze posts in ze province.
Thus it is to be a great man!"

"And Mr. Ainley, what is he doing at Fort Malsun?"
"Ah, M'sieu Ainley! He also is ze great man. He is to be among the
governors--one day. He also visits ze posts, and will no doubt travel
with ze governor, whose protégé he is."
"Is that so?"
"Dat is so! He is ze favourite, vous comprenez?"
"I did not know it."
"Non? But so it ees! And Louis and me, we go with heem in ze canoe
to serve heem. Though by gar, I like to make stop here, an' talk to dat
squaw-girl."
Stane made no vocal reply to this. He nodded carelessly and passed
into the store. Factor Rodwell looked round as he entered, and surveyed
him with a measuring eye, as if taking stock of a new acquaintance,
then gave him a curt nod and resumed his barter with the Indian. His
assistant being also busy for the moment, Stane turned towards the
Indian girl whose liquid eyes were regarding him shyly, and addressed
her in her native dialect.
"Little sister, why did you run from me yesterday?"
The girl was covered with confusion at the directness of his question,
and to help her over her embarrassment the young man laughed.
"You did not mistake me for Moorseen (the black bear) or the bald-face
grizzly, did you?"
At the question the girl laughed shyly, and shook her head without
speaking.
"I am but a man, and not the grizzled one. Wherefore should you run
from me, little sister?"
"I had never seen such a man before."

The directness of the answer, given in a shy voice, astonished him. It
was his turn to be embarrassed and he strove to turn the edge of the
compliment.
"Never seen a white man before!" he cried in mock amazement.
"I did not say that I had never seen a white man before. I have seen
many. The priest up at Fort of God, the doctor priest at the Last Hope,
the factor there, and M'sieu Ainley who came to our camp yesternight.
And there is also this fat man they call the governor--a great chief, it is
said; though he does not look as such a great one should look. Yes, I
have seen many white men, but none like thee before."
Hubert Stane was routed once more by the girl's directness, but strove
to recover himself by a return of compliments.
"Well," he laughed, "for that matter there are none so many like thyself
in the world. I wonder what thy name is?"
The girl flushed with pleasure at the compliment, and answered his
question without reserve.
"I am Miskodeed."
"The Beauty of the Spring! Then thou art well-named, little sister!"
The girl flushed with pleasure. The flame that had leapt in her dark
eyes at their first meeting burned once more, and where, but for an
interruption, the conversation would have drifted can only be
conjectured. But at that precise moment the tall Indian called to her.
"Miskodeed."
The girl moved swiftly to him and with a gesture that was almost royal
the Indian pointed to a pile of trade goods heaped upon the long
counter. The girl gathered as much as was possible in her arms, and
staggered with her load from the store, and as Factor Rodwell nodded
to him, Hubert Stane moved up the counter, and began to give his order.

The factor wrote it down without comment, glancing at his customer
from time to time with shrewd appraising eyes, and when Stane had
paid for the goods