FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136  
137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   >>   >|  
ow what you call it, but he wanted you to promise to be his wife, for he goes to Tadoussac to-morrow." Rose's heart beat with a guilty joy. "I should not promise that. I do not want to be a wife." Mawha, who had been a wife several times, a tall, rather severe-looking Indian woman, turned upon her. "Thou art well-grown and shouldst have a husband. Girls get too wild if they are let go too long. A husband keeps them in order." "I will have some supper," Rose said, with dignity, ignoring the stricture. Then she cleared a place on the table and brushed it clean with the birch twigs. Wanamee brought a plate of Indian meal cake, deliciously browned, some potatoes baked in the hot ashes, and a great slice of fish, with a dish of spiced preserves of some green fruit and berries. "I looked for you," Pani said. "Were you up on the mountain?" Rose shook her head. She was hungry, but she dallied over her meal, wondering if she had best go in and say good-night to miladi. She did not always; she quite understood now that there were times when miladi did not care to see her; then, at others, she sent for her. Now she would let her send. She went up to her small chamber presently. The young moon was travelling over westward with her attendant star. There were boats still out on the river, merry voices, others in loud and angry dispute. Why did people want to quarrel, when the world was so beautiful! Then a shrill cry of some night bird, guards coming and going about the fort. She grew drowsy presently, and went to bed, serene in the belief that M. Boulle would go his way and torment her no more, for had not M. Ralph promised? M. Ralph and miladi were having a rather stormy time. She had inquired very peremptorily what had kept him so late. Pani had been sent to the warehouse and had not found him, neither had he been at the fort. M. Destournier was no hand to prevaricate. He lived an open, honest life, and had few secrets beside those of business. Ordinarily, he would have explained what he had been about the last two hours, but he had a sudden premonition that it was wiser not to do so. Miladi was sometimes captious where Rose was concerned. "I was busy," he made answer briefly. "M. Boulle goes to Tadoussac to-morrow. The vessel came down for him to-day. Some urgent business requires his attention." "He has loitered quite long enough," commented her husband. "He is a pleasant young fellow, but there is
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136  
137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
husband
 

miladi

 

business

 

morrow

 

Tadoussac

 
promise
 
presently
 

Boulle

 
Indian
 

promised


torment

 

serene

 
belief
 

shrill

 
dispute
 

people

 
voices
 
quarrel
 

coming

 

guards


beautiful

 

drowsy

 

answer

 

briefly

 

vessel

 

concerned

 

premonition

 

Miladi

 

captious

 

loitered


commented

 
pleasant
 

fellow

 

attention

 

urgent

 
requires
 

sudden

 
Destournier
 

prevaricate

 
warehouse

inquired
 

peremptorily

 
Ordinarily
 
explained
 

secrets

 

honest

 
stormy
 

supper

 
dignity
 

Wanamee