gone to the river to see after the canoe, leaving word that he would
return in a few minutes. Trenton, who knew the house, opened the door at
his right, to enter the sitting-room and leave there his morning wraps,
which the increasing warmth rendered no longer necessary. As he burst
into the room in his impetuous way, he was taken aback to see standing
at the window, looking out towards the river, a tall young woman.
Without changing her position, she looked slowly around at the intruder.
Trenton's first thought was a hasty wish that he were better dressed.
His roughing-it costume, which up to that time had seemed so
comfortable, now appeared uncouth and out of place. He felt as if he had
suddenly found himself in a London drawing-room with a shooting-jacket
on. But this sensation was quickly effaced by the look which the beauty
gave him over her shoulder. Trenton, in all his experience, had
never encountered such a glance of indignant scorn. It was a look of
resentment and contempt, with just a dash of feminine reproach in it.

"What have I done?" thought the unhappy man; then he stammered aloud,
"I--I--really--I beg your pardon. I thought the--ah--room was empty."

The imperious young woman made no reply. She turned to the window again,
and Trenton backed out of the room as best he could.

"Well!" he said to himself, as he breathed with relief the outside air
again, "that was the rudest thing I ever knew a lady to do. She _is_ a
lady, there is no doubt of that. There is nothing of the backwoods
about her. But she might at least have answered me. What have I done, I
wonder? It must be something terrible and utterly unforgivable, whatever
it is. Great heavens!" he murmured, aghast at the thought, "I hope that
girl isn't going up to the Shawenegan Falls."