where I came from; and I've come here now to tell
you that after what I've seen of you in this matter I'd sooner die than
be hitched with you. You've no more heart than my old shoe; as long as
you get on it's all one to you who goes to the devil. You're not only as
sharp as I took you for, but a good deal sharper. Go ahead; you'll get
rich somehow; you'll get grand; but I want you to know that, though I'm
pretty tricky myself, and 'cute enough to have thought of a good thing
and followed it up pretty far, I've got a heart; and I do despise a
person made of stone. I was _real_ fond of you, for you far exceeded my
expectations; but I'm not fond of you now one bit. If you was to go down
on your bended knees and ask me to admire you now, I wouldn't."

She listened to all the sentence he pronounced upon her. When he had
finished she asked a question. "What do you mean about going to law
about the clearin'?"

"Your worthy friend, Mr. Bates, has arrived in this place this very day.
He's located with the Principal, he _is_."

"He isn't here," she replied in angry scorn.

"All right. Just _as you please_."

"He isn't here," she said more sulkily.

"But _he is_."

She ignored his replies. "What do you mean about going to law about the
land?"

"Why, I haven't got much time left,"--he was standing now with his watch
in his hand--"but for the sake of old times I'll tell you, if you don't
see through that. D'you suppose Bates isn't long-headed! He's heard
about Father Cameron being here, and knowing the old man couldn't give
an account of himself, he's come to see him and pretend he's your
father. Of course he's no notion of you being here. He swears right and
left that you went over the hills and perished in the snow; and he's got
up great mourning and lamenting, so I've heard, for your death. Oh,
Jemima! Can't you see through that?"

"Tell me what you mean," she demanded, haughtily. She was standing again
now.

"Why, my dear, if you knew a bit more of the world you'd know that it
meant that he intends to pocket all the money himself. And, what's more,
he's got the best of the situation; for you left him of your own accord,
my dear, and changed your name, and if you should surprise him now by
putting in an appearance and saying you're the lost young lady, what's
to hinder him saying you're _not_ you, and keeping the tin? I don't know
who's to swear to you, myself. The men round Turrifs said you were
growing so fast that