CHAPTER VII.

TWO INTERVIEWS.

The instant the door closed behind Gaviller, Ambrose's eyes flamed up.
"What a stroke of luck!" he cried.

It had something the effect of an explosion there in the quiet room
where they had been talking so prosily. Colina became panicky. "I
don't understand you!" she said haughtily.

"You do!" he cried. "You know I didn't paddle three hundred miles
up-stream to talk to him! Never in my life had I anything so hard to
go through with as the last two hours. I didn't dare look at you for
fear of giving myself away."

There was an extraordinary quality of passion in the simple words.
Colina felt faint and terrified. What was one to do with a man like
this! She mounted her queenliest manner. "Don't make me sorry I asked
you here," she said.

"Sorry?" he said. "Why should you be? You can do what you like! I
can't pretend. I must say my say the best way I can. I may not get
another chance!"

Colina had to fight both herself and him. She made a gallant stand.
"You are ridiculous!" she said. "I will leave the room until my father
comes back if you can't contain yourself."