“Marion!” bellowed Seth.
And then the two women were in each other’s arms, and Seth grabbed one of Marion’s hands, and the air was filled with hysterical cries and mighty, spluttered expletives. Then silence fell, while Claire and Marion wept without restraint, and Huntington searched for his handkerchief without finding it, and strode across the room and back, pounding one clenched hand into the palm of the other. But Marion presently tore herself out of Claire’s embrace, and turned to grab an arm of Pete, who stood just outside the doorway, through which the wind unheeded was flinging snow and leaves into the room.
“Here he is!” cried Marion. “He did it!”
Claire promptly threw her arms around the Indian’s neck, or as nearly around as she could reach, and stood on tiptoe to plant a kiss on his leathery cheek. Huntington too leaped on him, seizing his shoulder and hand, and dragging him farther into the room. Then he broke away, and ran for a bottle; and the two men clicked glasses and drank in silence. And two big chairs were drawn close to the fire for Pete and Marion; and while Claire sat crying softly, and Huntington, between “damns” and “hells,” wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, and Pete sat impressive, Marion quickly narrated the chief incidents of her pursuit of Haig, their long imprisonment, and the rescue.
“But Haig! Where’s he?” asked Huntington.
“He left us at the junction,” answered Marion.
On that a moment of silence fell. Something in Marion’s face told even Huntington to keep still. But Claire, seeing it, was secretly, wickedly, triumphantly glad. A very practical thought, however, came to her in time to prevent embarrassment, and Seth was sent bustling into the kitchen to relight the fire in the range. The cook had gone to bed, but Claire would get supper for them; for Pete must stay, she insisted. But at this the Indian rose, and said he must go to Haig, who had told him to hurry back for supper with him in the cottage.
“Well, then, Pete,” said Huntington from the door of the kitchen, “you’ll have another drink, anyhow. And you’ll come up to-morrow to tell us how you found them, won’t you?”
Pete promised; the whisky was solemnly drunk again; and the three others followed him to the door.