The smile left her lips. He was startled by the suddenness with
which the colour ebbed from her face and the old fear leapt back
into her eyes.

"Two? You are sure there are two?" Her fingers clutched his arm
almost fiercely. "And they are coming this way?"

"We can see them from the top of the rock ridge," he said. "I am
sure there are two. Will you look for yourself?"

She did not speak as they hurried to the bald cap of the ridge.
From the top Philip pointed down the lake. The two canoes were in
plain view now. Whether they contained three or four people they
could not quite make out. At sight of them the last vestige of
colour had left the girl's cheeks. But now, as she stood there
breathing quickly in her excitement, there came a change in her.
She threw back her head. Her lips parted. Her blue eyes flashed a
fire in which Philip in his amazement no longer saw fear, but
defiance. Her hands were clenched. She seemed taller. Back into
her cheeks there burned swiftly two points of flame. All at once
she put out a hand and drew him back, so that the cap of the ridge
concealed them from the lake.

"An hour ago those canoes would have made me run off into the
forest--and hide," she said. "But now I am not afraid! Do you
understand?"

"Then you trust me?"

"Absolutely."