CHAPTER XIX
A WOMAN'S WAY
They had not been forgotten while they journeyed through the wilds. Frobisher thought of them now and then, and his daughter more often; indeed, her mind dwelt a good deal on Andrew after he left and she found herself looking forward eagerly to his return. She spent some weeks in an American city with her father, but its gaieties had less attraction for her than usual, and she was glad when they went back for a time to the Lake of Shadows. On the day after her arrival she drove across the ice to the Landing and inquired at a store where news circulated whether anything had been heard of the Allinson expedition. The proprietor had nothing to tell her, but while she spoke to him a man crossed the floor, and she saw with annoyance that it was Mappin. She left while he made his purchases, but he joined her when she was putting some parcels into the sleigh, and did not seem daunted by the coldness of her manner.
"I didn't know you were coming back so soon," he greeted her.
"Didn't you?" she asked indifferently. "When my father had finished his business we suddenly made up our minds to leave, without consulting Mrs. Denton. I suppose that explains your ignorance."
"You're smart," he said. "As soon as you're ready to receive people I must make my call."
It was getting dark, but the lights from the store window fell on his face, and Geraldine saw a glitter in his eyes. She thought he meant to defy her.
"You are excused, so far as I am concerned," she replied uncompromisingly.
Mappin stood silent a moment or two, looking at her hard, and she felt half afraid of him.
"You would rather see Allinson! But that's a pleasure you may find deferred. You didn't get much news of him just now!"
"I don't doubt that you heard me ask for it, though there were two teamsters waiting to buy things, who had the good manners to keep away."