breathed found no
response in his own breast. The phrasing sounded exaggerated and
silly. Why on earth should he follow? He understood the veiled
reference to Bela. Little need for Jennie to warn him against her!

At the same time Sam felt mean because he experienced no greater
distress at Jennie's going. Finally, manlike, he swore under his
breath, and resolved again to have no more to do with women. No
suspicion of the real state of affairs crossed his mind.

Returning down hill in his wagon, he had to pass the little house
where they had told him Bela was. Smoke was rising from the chimney. A
great disquiet attacked him; he was not thinking of Jennie at all
then. He heard sounds of activity from within the shack. Wild horses
could not have dragged his head around to look. Urging his horses, he
got out of sight as quick as he could. But out of sight was not out of
mind.

"What's the matter with me?" he asked himself irritably. "I'm my own
master, I guess. Nobody can put anything over on me. What need I care
if she opens a dozen restaurants? One would think I was afraid of the
girl! Ridiculous! Lord! I wish she were at the other side of the
world!"

* * * * *

There was no escaping her. During the days that followed, Bela was the
principal topic of conversation around the settlement. Her place
became a general rendezvous for all the white men.

Graves's young men saved the Government their rations, but took it out
in horse-flesh riding around the bay to sup at Bela's. The policemen
spent their hours off duty and wages there.

Stiffy and Mahooley fired their cook and went with the rest. The shack
proved inadequate to hold them all, and Graves sent over a tent to be
used as a kitchen annex.

Since Sam was the only white man who did not patronize the place, he
had to submit to be held up on the road half a dozen times a day while
they forced him to listen to the details of the last wonderful meal at
Bela's.

"No bannock and sow-belly; no, sir! Real raised outside bread and
genuine cow-butter from the mission. Green stuff from the mission
garden. Roasted duck and prairie-chicken; stewed rabbit and broiled
fish fresh out of the lake! Pudding with raisins in it, and on Sunday
an apricot pie!"

Bela, it seemed, brought everybody under contribution. They told how
even Mrs. Beattie, the great lady of the place, was giving her cooking
lessons.

It was not only the food that made Bel