He looked up at the thick branches above their heads.
"Rain would not easily get through here. Chris and I camped somewhere near this place a couple of years ago."
"It must have been lovely."
"It wasn't so bad. We slept out in the open air on warm nights."
Marie leaned back against the great trunk of the tree under which they had lunched, and looked away into the avenue of green arches before them.
During the last day or two she had not thought so often of Chris, and to-day the mention of him had not brought that little stab of pain to her heart. Neither did she wish for him so passionately, 158 nor think what happiness it would be to have him beside her instead of Feathers.
She was always glad to be with Feathers. His strong, ugly face had lost all its ugliness for her. She only saw his kindliness and heard the gentleness of his voice.
Her eyes dwelt on him seriously. Some woman was losing a kind husband, she thought, and impulsively she said:
"Mr. Dakers—I should like to see you married."
He turned his head slowly and looked at her, and she wondered if it was just her imagination that his face paled beneath all its tan as he answered: