At sight of him the girl's eyes brightened, and, with a mischievous look she said something to her companion.
"Linda!" the older woman remonstrated.
"Everybody speaks to everybody up here," said the girl. "It was understood that the conventions were to be left at home."
Thus Jack was presently startled to hear a clear high voice behind him say: "Are you going to travel on the river with that little thing?"
Hastily straightening his back and turning, he raised his hat. Her look took him unawares. There was nothing of the insolent queenliness in it now. She was smiling at him like a fearless, well-bred little girl. Nevertheless, he reflected, the sex is not confined to the use of a single weapon, and he stiffened.
"I came down the river on it this morning," he said politely and non-committal. "To-night I'm going just a little way to camp."
She was very like a little girl, he thought, being so small and slender, and having such large blue eyes, and such a charming, childlike smile. Her bright brown hair was rolled back over her ears. Her lips were very red, and her teeth perfect. She was wearing a silk waist cunningly contrived with lace, and fitting in severe, straight lines, ever so faintly suggesting the curves beneath. In spite of himself everything about her struck subtle chords in Jack's memory. It was years since he had been so close to a lady.
She was displeased with the manner of his answer. He had shown no trace either of the self-consciousness or the eager complaisance she had expected from a local character. Indeed, his gaze returned to the raft as if he were only restrained by politeness from going on with his preparations. He reminded her of a popular actor in a Western play that she had been to see more times than her father knew of. But the rich colour in Jack's cheek and neck had the advantage of being under the skin instead of plastered on top. Her own cheeks were a thought pale.
"How do you go back upstream?" she asked with an absent air that was intended to punish him.
"You travel as you can," said Jack calmly. "On horseback or afoot."