And again, with even more fantastic trimmings, he set forth the story of Latisan’s flight with a girl who had seduced him from his duty in the north.
Lida snatched the Flagg cant dog from the hands of Felix; he had been the bearer of her scepter. He blinked when he looked at her. The far-flung light of the camp fire, reflected in her eyes, had set veritable torches there. Her lips were apart and her white teeth were clenched and her face was ridged with resolution.
There was no mistaking the intention which righteous anger had stirred in her, but when she started down the slope Felix leaped and ventured to restrain her with a touch on her arm. “Is it well to let the Comas know that you are here or what you are going to do? Pardon, mam’selle, but think!”
“The lies! The lies!”
“Yes, mam’selle, but you can tell them the truth when he is not there to hear.”
“But now he is there, and I cannot go to the men.”
“In a little while you may go; he will not be there. And if he does not know what is going on up here, after his back is turned, maybe we shall have day after day to push our logs in ahead of all the others,” explained the riverman. “They will be days worth much.” Then with the imagery of his race he added, “Those days will be gold beads on our rosary, mam’selle!” He smiled into her eyes, from which the fires were departing. “Please wait here with the the others.”
He whispered to several of the Indians; when he sauntered down the slope the four summoned Tarratines stole to right and left, masking themselves in the shadows, flanking the champion who was going alone.
Most of the men of the crew recognized Felix Lapierre when he walked into the circle of light. They leaped up, surrounded him, their mouths full of hilarious congratulation, of excuses why they had not attended the wedding, of awkward jokes and questions. They could not understand why he had come north so soon. He shook his head, mildly refusing to satisfy their curiosity.
Kyle stood for a time; then he resumed his pacing. He no longer had listeners. Like children, the rivermen were wholly absorbed in a new toy—a bridegroom who had so suddenly deserted the handsomest girl between Adonia and The Forks.