a dull, sullen boy, he spoke eagerly, catching her hand,
watching the warm, happy blush flow in her cheeks.

"Where were you?" she asked. She had stood to wait for him as soon as
his voice reached her. "I couldn't see--I mean, I lost the sound of your
steps. I've been following you for hours and hours and hours. I was so
afraid of being lost again that I didn't dare drop too far behind."

"But why didn't you call to me? Why have you come? Is anything wrong at
home?"

Her fingers moved uncertainly in his grasp, like the fingers of a shy
child. "Nothing is wrong. I wanted to come with you. I wanted to go to
the trading-station and the post-office. I didn't dare ask you to
take me with you. I was afraid you'd send me home. I suppose I'll be a
nuisance, but--Oh, Pete, please be nice to me and take care of me, won't
you?" She paused, turned her face away from him and smiled. "After
all, since you have called me your wife before witnesses, you ought to
introduce me to your friends at the trading-station, oughtn't you? They
might think it was queer that I should hide myself, now that the snow
has gone."

He dropped her hand. Suddenly he realized the consequences, the
necessary effect upon Hugh of this willful venture of hers.

"Does Hugh know where you are?" he asked painfully.

"No. I ran away. I heard you getting ready, and I just felt that I
couldn't bear to be left behind. I slipped out of bed so quietly that
Bella didn't even stir, and I dressed just as quietly, and when you had
gone half across the clearing, I ran out after you, listening to your
steps. You see, I have the hearing, as well as the touch, of the blind."
This was said with a cunning sort of recklessness; but Pete, absorbed in
his anxiety, did not challenge the improbable statement. "Please don't
be angry with me, Pete." She touched his hand where it hung at his side.
"Can't I have my adventure? Let's call it _ours_."

In spite of himself, the young man's pulse quickened, but his face and
voice were stern.

"Do you know that we'll be very late?" he said. "It will be midnight
before we can possibly make it back to the cabin, if you can even do it
at all. You'll have to spend the night somewhere at the station. What
will they think? They will be anxious, Bella and Hugh."

"But what can they think?" Her cheeks were unexplainably scarlet. "If I
choose to trust you to take care of me, why should they grumble? And I
won't have to spend the night. You don