none knew
so well as he. His fingers closed and unclosed, as if with the desire to
clasp her hand,--to make some visible show of friendship.

She saw the slight movement, and looked up at him with a new interest.

"Oh, I forgot, Joe! I never once have asked how you have got along while I
have been so sick. Can you use your hands any at all? You could once, a
little bit that day--the day we found the gold."

But he shook his head, and just then a step was heard outside, and Lyster
looked in.

A shade of surprise touched his face, as he saw 'Tana there, with so
bright an expression in her eyes.

"What has Harris been telling you that has aroused you to interest, Tana?"
he asked, jestingly. "He has more influence than I, for I have scarcely
been able to get you to talk at all."

"You don't need me; you have Miss Slocum," she answered. "Have you dropped
her in the creek and run back to camp? And have you seen Akkomi lately? I
want him."

"Of course you do. The moment I make my appearance, you want to get rid of
me by sending me for some other man. No, I am happy to say I have not seen
that royal loafer for the past hour. And I am more happy still to find
that you really want some one--any one--once more. Do you realize, my dear
girl, how very many days it is since you have condescended to want
anything on this earth of ours? Won't you accept me as a substitute for
Akkomi?"

"I don't want you."

But her eyes smiled on him kindly, and he did not believe her.

"Perhaps not; but won't you pretend you do for a little while, long enough
to come with me for a little walk--or else to talk to me in your cabin?"

"To talk to you? I don't think I can talk much to any one yet. I just told
Joe I feel as if I was only waking up."

"So I see; that is the reason I am asking an audience. I will do the
talking, and it need not be a very long talk, if you are too tired."

"I believe I will go," she said, at last. "I was thinking it would be nice
to float in a canoe again--just to float lazy on the current. Can't we do
that?"

"Nothing easier," he answered, entirely delighted that she was again more
like the 'Tana of two months before. She seemed to him a little paler and
a little taller, but as they walked together to the canoe, he felt that
they would again come to the old chummy days of Sinna Ferry, when they
quarreled and made up as regularly as the sun rose and set.

"Well, why don't you talk?" she asked, as their littl