comfortable, are you, Jack?"

"Oh, no." Jack gave the "no" what Kate would have called a sliding
inflection deeply surcharged with irony.

"Well, but why don't you keep the fire going? The smoke doesn't show
at all, scarcely. And if you're going to tramp all over the mountains
and let everybody see you, it doesn't matter a bit."

Jack lit his third cigarette. "What's going on in the world, anyway?
Any news from--down South?"

"Well, the papers don't say much. There's been an awful storm that
simply ruined the beaches, they say. Fred has gone down--something
about your case, I think. And then he wanted to see the men who are in
on this timber scheme. They aren't coming through with the assessment
money the way they promised, and Fred and Doug and Kate had to dig up
more than their share to pay for the work. I didn't because I didn't
have anything to give--and Kate has been hinting things about that,
too."

"I wish you'd take--"

"Now, don't you dare finish that sentence! When I came up here with
them they agreed to do my assessment work and take it out of the
money we get when we sell, and they're to get interest on all of it.
Kate proposed it herself, because she wanted me up here with her. Let
them keep the agreement. Fred isn't complaining--Fred's just dandy
about everything. It's only--"

"Well, I guess I'll be getting back. It's a tough climb up to my
hangout." Jack's interest in the conversation waned abruptly with the
mention of Fred. "Can't you signal about ten o'clock tomorrow, if
you're coming out? Then I'll bring down some bear meat."

"Oh, and I'll bring some cake and bread, if I can dodge Kate. I'll put
up a lunch as if it were for me. Kate had good luck with her bread
this time. I'll bring all I dare. And, Jack,--you aren't really
uncomfortable up there, are you? Of course, I know it gets pretty
cold, and maybe it's lonesome sometimes at night, but--you stayed
alone all summer, so--"

"Oh, I'm all right. Don't you worry a minute about me. Run along home
now, before you make Kate sore at you again. And don't forget to let
me know if you're coming. I'll meet you right about here. So long,
pardner." He stuffed the package of cigarettes into his coat pocket
and plunged into the balsam thicket behind him as though he was eager
to get away from her presence.

Marion felt it, and looked after him with hurt questioning in her
eyes. "He's got his cigarettes--that's all he cares about," she told
herself