She hastened to reply.

"I _have_ profited by your advice--have learned much from what you have
told me. I am under obligation to you. I appreciate your interest
in--in my work, and am indeed grateful for what you have done to further
it. But there are some things, I suppose, one _must_ learn by
experience. I may be silly and headstrong. I may be wrong. But I stand
ready to pay the price. The loss will be mine. See!" she cried
excitedly, "they are rolling up the logs for the store."

"Yes," answered the man gravely, "I bow to your wishes in the matter of
your buildings. If you refuse to build a stockade we may erect a few
more buildings--but as few as you can possibly manage with, Miss
Elliston. I must hasten southward."

Chloe studied for some moments. "The store"--she checked them off upon
her fingers--"the schoolhouse, two bunkhouses, we can leave off the
bathrooms, the river and the lake will serve until winter."

Lapierre nodded, and the girl continued. "We can do without the laundry
and the carpenter-shop, and the individual cabins. The Indians can set
up their teepees in the clearing, and build the cabins and the other
buildings later. But I _would_ like a little cottage for myself, and
Miss Penny, and Lena. We _could_ make three rooms do. Can we have three
rooms?"

Lapierre bowed low. "It shall be as you say," he replied. "And now, if
you will excuse me, I shall see to it that these _canaille_ work. LeFroy
they do not fear."