."

She saw Weston's smile, which made it evident that he was equally
content to drift quietly through the cool shadow with the sound of
frothing water in his ears. Then she wondered whether that was his
only cause for satisfaction, and recognized that, if this were not the
case, she had given him a lead. He did not, however, seem very eager
to make the most of it.

"We might get another fish in the broken water," he suggested. "Would
you like to try?"

"No," said Ida, "I wouldn't."

She was a trifle displeased with him. The man, she felt, might at
least have ventured to agree with her, and there was, after all, no
reason why he should insist on reminding her, in one way or another,
that he was merely her canoe attendant, when she was willing to
overlook that fact. She had once or twice, when it was evident that he
did not know that she was watching him, seen something creep into his
eyes when he glanced in her direction. He was, however, for the most
part, almost unduly cautious in his conversation, and she now and then
wondered whether his reticence cost him anything.

"It's a pity it isn't always summer afternoon," she said.

Weston looked at her rather curiously, though for the next few moments
his lips remained set. There was a good deal he could have said in
that connection, but he suppressed it, as he had done more than once
already when similarly tempted. He felt that if he once allowed his
sentiments audible expression they might run away with him.

"Oh, yes," he said, "I suppose it is."

Ida wondered whether he was quite insensible to temptation, or
absurdly diffident, for she had now given him two openings, and he had
answered with only the tritest of remarks. She knew he was not stupid,
but there were times when, for no apparent reason, he seemed suddenly
to retire into his shell. She did not know that on these occasions he
had laid a somewhat stern restraint upon himself.

"This land is not quite as grand as British Columbia, but I think I
almost like it better," she said. "Still, we spent a very pleasant
time in the ranges."

"Those ranges could hardly be beaten," said Weston.

He paddled a little more strenuously after this, and Ida abandoned the
attempt to extract any expression of opinion from him. She had made
sufficient advances, and she would go no further.

"Well," she said, "I don't care to fish any longer. Can't we shoot
that rapid?"

Weston's answer was given without hesitation.