It occurred to Laura that it was uncomfortably cold, for there was a nip of frost in the air, though the sun hung coppery red above the sombre pines.
“I almost fancied you were not overjoyed to see me,” she remarked.
Nasmyth appeared momentarily embarrassed, but his expression suddenly changed, and Laura felt a faint thrill when he laid his hand upon her arm.
“That,” he said, “is a fancy you must never entertain again.”
In one respect Laura was fully satisfied, and, though there was still a great deal upon which she meant to be enlightened, she talked about other matters for almost half an hour, and then rose with a little shiver.
“I must get back to the settlement, where I have left the team,” she said, and glanced down at him for a moment with solicitude in her eyes. “You will be very careful.”
Nasmyth let her go, but he did not know that she signed to Mattawa, who was then busy hewing out a big redwood log. The axeman strolled after her into the Bush, and then stopped to look hard at her as he uttered an inquiring, “Well?”
“Tom,” said the girl, “can’t you understand that it would be very much wiser if somebody told me exactly how Mr. Nasmyth got hurt?”
The axeman nodded. “Yes,” he admitted, with a wink, “that’s just how it strikes me, and I’m going to. The boss has no more arms and legs than he’s a use for anyway.”
Laura gazed at him in bewilderment, but the man’s expression was perfectly grave. “Now,” he added, “I guess one can talk straight sense to you, and the fact is I can’t have you coming round here again. Just listen 88 about two minutes, and I’ll try to make the thing clear to you.”