e
forget--"

The gesture which finished the sentence was so eloquent of hate that
Mary shrank away and put the embers of the fire between them.

"I tell you, it was all a lie, and Pierre le Rouge has never loved
anything but you, you milk-faced, yellow-livered--"

She stopped again, fighting against her passion.

The pride of Mary held her stiff and straight, though her voice shook.

"Has he sent you after me with mockery?"

"No, he's given up the hope of you."

"The hope?"

"Don't you see? Are you going to make me crawl to explain? It always
seemed to me that God meant Pierre for me. It always seemed to me that
a girl like me was what he needed. But Pierre had never seen it.
Maybe, if my hair was yellow an' my eyes blue, he might have felt
different; but the way it is, he's always treated me like a kid
brother--"

"And lived with you?" said the other sternly.

"Like two men! D'you understand how a woman could be the bunky of a
man an' yet be no more to him than--than a man would be. You don't?
Neither do I, but that's what I've been to Pierre le Rouge. What's
that?"

She lifted her head and stood poised as if for flight. Once more the
vague sound blew up to them upon the wind. Mary ran to her and grasped
both of her hands in her own.

"If it's true--"

But Jack snatched her hands away and looked on the other with a mighty
hatred and a mightier contempt.

"True? Why, it damn near finishes Pierre with me to think he'd take up
with--a thing like you. But it's true. If somebody else had told me
I'd of laughed at 'em. But it's true. Tell me: what'll you do with
him?"

"Take him back--if I can reach him--take him back to the East and to
God's country."

"Yes--maybe he'd be happy there. But when the spring comes to the
city, Mary, wait till the wind blows in the night and the rain comes
tappin' on the roof. Then hold him if you can. D'ye hear? Hold him
if you can!"

"If he cares it will not be hard. Tell me again, if--"

"Shut up. What's that again?"

The sound was closer now and unmistakably something other than the moan
of the wind. Jacqueline turned in great excitement to Mary:

"Did McGurk hear that sound down the gorge?"

"Yes. I think so. And then he--"

"My God!"

"What is it?"

"Pierre, and he's calling for--d'you hear?"

Clear and loud, though from a great distance, the wind carried up the
sound and the echo preserved it: "McGurk!"

"McGurk!" repeated Mary.