d fool!

Forcing his way blindly through the underbrush, stumbling over roots,
and plunging into holes, he completed his detour around the meadow. As
he came out beside the ford he heard his name called urgently.

"Sam! Sam!"

Notwithstanding his anger, and in the very act of the brave vows he
was taking, the voice found his heart like a bullet. He stopped dead
with hanging arms and looked strickenly in the direction whence it
came.

Presently the dugout came flying around a bend in the creek above. She
landed at the head of the little rapids, and ran toward him. He waited
with sombre eyes.

She stopped at three paces distance, afraid to come closer. The
savage had disappeared. Her face was all softened with emotion.

"Sam, I sorry I call names," she said very low. "That was my madness
speaking out of my mouth. I not think those things in my heart. Please
forget it."

His eyes bored her through and through.

"Another trick to get you going?" the voice inside him asked.

"Don' look at me lak that," she faltered.

"How do I know what to believe?" Sam said harshly. "You say so many
things."

"I jus' foolin' 'bout those ot'er men," she said. "I not marry one of
them. I sooner jump in the lak'."

A secret spring of gladness spurted up in Sam's breast. "Do you mean
that?" he demanded.

"I mean it," she replied.

He gazed at her, strongly desiring to believe, but suspicious still.
His slower nature could not credit such a rapid change of front.

"Don' look at me lak that," she said again. "W'at you want me do?"

"Go away," he said.

She looked at him, startled.

"If you're in earnest about not wanting to make trouble," he said
harshly, "you've got to go without seeing any of them again."

Her eyes were full of trouble. "You tell me go away?" she whispered.

Sam winced. "I haven't got anything to do with it," he said. "It's up
to you."

He was more than ever inexplicable to her.

"What you goin' do?" she asked.

"I?" he replied, nettled. "I'm going up to the head of the lake with
the bunch, of course."

There was a painful silence, while Bela sought vainly in her mind for
the explanation of his strange attitude. An instinct told her he loved
her, but she could not make him say it.

"You think I bad girl, Sam," she murmured.

"How do I know what you are?" he asked harshly. "Here's your chance to
prove to me that you're on the square."

"I got go 'way to mak' you think I all right?"

"Yes,"