nish unloading his
wagon. Musq'oosis sent the two breed-boys to help him. Musq'oosis
himself squatted in the grass, while Sam stood caressing the horses.

* * * * *

"Then you not comin'," said Musq'oosis, a quarter of an hour later. He
had spent his best efforts in vain.

Sam gloomily shook his head.

"I moch sorry," said the old man.

"Did she send you after me?" demanded Sam abruptly.

"No."

"What made you come, then?"

"I t'ink she look too moch at Mahooley. He bad man to woman. Bela, she
mos' lak my daughter. I feel bad."

A horrible pain went through Sam's breast. He laughed as he thought
blithely. "If she wants Mahooley she'll marry him. You and I have got
nothing to do with it."

"You could come and tak' her 'way from him maybe."

"Nothing doing," said Sam grimly.

"Mahooley maybe not marry her honest," suggested Musq'oosis.

A spasm passed over Sam's face. The horses strained back, startled,
from his hand. "Oh, for God's sake, I've told you a dozen times it is
nothing to me!" he cried. "Nobody can make Bela do what she doesn't
want to do. If she goes with Mahooley, that's her look out!"

Fearing that his self-control was about to escape him altogether, Sam
walked away a few steps. When he came back his face was set.

Musq'oosis saw no hope there. He shrugged. "Well--got no more to say.
I moch sorry!"

Sam wished with all his heart that he would go and be done with it.

"You say goin' tak' up land here," said Musq'oosis politely. "Let me
see your land."

Sam, calling to one of the boys to watch the horses, led the way
across the planted ground and over the gully to his own fair field.

Musq'oosis surveyed it with bright eyes. "Ah, _miwasan_!" he cried.
"Beautiful! There is no better land!"

"Good enough," said Sam indifferently.

"There on that little hill. You will build good house there."

"I suppose so."

"You will have porch lak Gilbert Beattie got for sittin' on. You sit
in chair, and look up and down river every night. You build big barn.
Have moch horse and cattle, I guess. You will be rich, all right."

Sam laughed mirthlessly. "You're as bad as Ed."

"What good your richness do you if you all alone," asked Musq'oosis
slyly. "You want a wife to mak' your heart glad. A handsome wife and
many fat babies. There is only one girl for you. Good face to see;
good hands to work; good heart to love. I know her, and I say so.
There was never any girl