Bess could not resist the little appeal which the tone gave without being rude, and with rather a forced smile she permitted Mr. Davis to stand beside her.
“Those horses are being taken to Kalispell for the Fourth of July celebration. They have some good races. Will you be there to see them, Miss—Bess?”
“Oh, no! We are only to be there for a day or two. Some of Mrs. West’s friends are coming to the HW Ranch during the July celebration which the Indians are to have. I shall save all my shouts for the races then, you know.”
“Presently we shall come to the famous ‘Picture Rocks,’” said Davis, during their conversation. Not a word had he said save some remark about the horses or the scenery, as they passed an interesting place.
As the boat neared the rocks it slowed so that the passengers might get a better view of the pictures. Here, on the flat surface of a cliff, which rises abruptly out of the water for a hundred feet, are quaint tracings made by the Indians, many, many, years ago. Horses, deer, moose and other animals are clearly drawn. Numerous lines near a deer record the successful hunt. Several buffalos were clearly outlined and other drawings which could not be defined. How it was possible that these records have stood the ravages of time is not known.
Bess was so interested that as the boat resumed its journey she asked Mr. Davis for more information concerning the strange and wonderful pictures. He led her to some comfortable chairs, and so interested did she become in the stories which he told that she almost forgot her chaperon.
“Really, I must go and find Mrs. West,” said Bess, as she arose from her seat.
“Wait a moment,” ventured Mr. Davis, as he touched her hand restrainingly. “First, I want to ask you, why did you resist me as I came onto the boat? You knew I was near; why did you not turn?”
Bess drew her hand from his tightening clasp, and pushing back the hair from her eyes, said: “Because, Mr. Davis, you thought you could make me turn and answer your call, and I wanted you to know that I could control my own will.”
“My dear—did you say you heard me call? Indeed, I had not uttered a sound! Some day—you will not try so hard to resist me, nor to make yourself believe that which you know is not true. May I see you, if only for a moment, while you are in Kalispell?” he continued, but before he could catch the reply the girl had run out to where she saw Mrs. West with some other ladies.