"Did she send you after me?" demanded Sam abruptly.
"No."
"What made you come, then?"
"I t'ink she look too moch at Mahooley. He bad man to woman. Bela, she mos' lak my daughter. I feel bad."
A horrible pain went through Sam's breast. He laughed as he thought blithely. "If she wants Mahooley she'll marry him. You and I have got nothing to do with it."
"You could come and tak' her 'way from him maybe."
"Nothing doing," said Sam grimly.
"Mahooley maybe not marry her honest," suggested Musq'oosis.
A spasm passed over Sam's face. The horses strained back, startled, from his hand. "Oh, for God's sake, I've told you a dozen times it is nothing to me!" he cried. "Nobody can make Bela do what she doesn't want to do. If she goes with Mahooley, that's her look out!"
Fearing that his self-control was about to escape him altogether, Sam walked away a few steps. When he came back his face was set.