Eva, hearing, hastily called the children indoors, and thrusting them
behind her peeped into the store. Peter, purple in the face, was
wildly brandishing his arms.

Eva closed the door very softly and gave the children bread and
molasses to keep them quiet. Meanwhile the storm continued to rage.

"The young fool! To run off without a word! I'd have let him go
gladly if he'd said anything--and given him a good man! But to go
alone! He'll break an arm and die in the bush! And to leave me like
this with the year's outfit due next week!

"I'll not see him again until cold weather--if I ever see him! Fifty
pounds of flour--with his appetite! He'll starve to death if he
doesn't drown himself first! He'll never get to Enterprise! Oh, the
consummate young ass! Damn Poly Goussard and his romantic stories!"




CHAPTER III.

COLINA.

John Gaviller and Colina were at breakfast in the big clap-boarded
villa at Fort Enterprise.

They were a good-looking pair, and at heart not dissimilar, though it
must be taken into account that the same qualities manifest themselves
differently in a man of affairs and a romantic, irresponsible young