For a moment she did not reply. Then, "A great deal may have happened since then," she said.
"I don't believe you!" He dropped her arm. "You say that to stop me, keep me back; you are afraid of me!" He took up his paddle again.
"Yes, I am afraid." Then, putting a little note of contempt into her voice: "And wasn't I right to be afraid?" she added. She drew the arm he had touched close to her waist, and held it there.
"No!" answered Winthrop, loudly and angrily; "you were completely wrong." He sent the canoe forward with rapid strokes.
They went to the end of the lane, then returned to the main channel, still in silence. But here it became necessary again for Margaret to give directions.
"Go as far as that pool of knees," she began; "then turn to the right."
"You are determined to keep on?"
"I must; that is, I must if you will take me."
He sat without moving.
"If anything should happen to Lanse that I might have prevented by keeping on now, how could I ever——"