The two men smoked in silence. Minnihak drew lovingly at his pipe long after the little bowl was empty. Then with a deep sigh of regret he reluctantly put it away, and drawing his kaip-puk (deerskin robe) over him, he stretched himself on the floor to sleep.
Her duties completed, Kasba sat down beside her father.
“The boy’s asleep,” said Delgezie, with an indicative thrust of the chin in the direction of a recumbent figure in a corner of the room.
“Yes,” laughed the girl, with a glance in the same direction. “Poor David, he tried to keep awake, but he was so very tired. He was away on the ‘big hill’ hunting, all day. He shot three deer.”
“Oh!” ejaculated the old man with a nod and smile of approbation.
“We’re going for them to-morrow,” she explained, taking her father’s hand and smoothing it fondly.
Just then the door opened and Broom appeared. He hesitated on the threshold, glancing from one to the other as if asking permission to enter. Kasba half started up from her seat at sight of him. She experienced a feeling of resentful surprise, wondering what his visit might portend.
The old man bade him enter, though he seemed rather taken aback at the fellow’s presence. The welcome obviously lacked fervor.
Nothing daunted, Broom came forward with a peculiar smile on his lips.
Kasba rose hastily and placed a seat for him, then turned deliberately away, withdrawing to another part of the room, and for the time being appeared totally absorbed in some kind of needlework.