un away with
her; an' thet's why Ole Cale, he hates me wuss nor cold pizen!"

CHAPTER VI.

TAKING A RISK FOR THE SAKE OF LITTLE LINA.

Thad understood it all now, and the knowledge gave him a thrill. He
thrust out his hand to the young guide, with boyish enthusiasm.

"Shake, Jim!" he exclaimed. "I just know you did what any decent man
would have done. And so you managed to run away with the old man's
daughter, did you? Was she all he had?"

"On'y Little Lina; an' he believed the sun rose an' set in her, like.
They cud all say as Cale Martin war a bad man, an' he _war_ rough
as they make 'em, sumtimes; but he'd a laid down his life fur thet gal,
any day. I was dead sorry tuh hev tuh do hit; but I knowed he'd never
give in, an' I jest cudn't live without her. We gut outen this deestrict
while Cale war off on a hunt, an' I hain't never seen hide nor hair o'
him sense. But he sent me word thet ef so be I ever kim back tuh the old
stampin' grounds, he hed it in fuh me, all right."

"How long ago was that, Jim?"

"Nigh a yeah an' er half now," the other replied.

"And of course your wife has often wished she could see her father
again, Jim?"

The guide groaned.

"Cried her putty eyes out, awantin' tuh see her dad," he admitted; "but
what cud a man do 'bout hit, if Cale, he wudn't forgive me? He sent word
as haow Lina cud kim back, but me, never; an' in course she wudn't quit
me."

"But now, Jim; tell me about who gave you the orders you were saying
something about a while ago?" pursued Thad.

"She done hit, in course," answered the other, heaving a sigh. "I knowed
the risk I war takin', but I'd do a right smart more fur my Lina."

"Then as I take it, Jim, you don't really want to avoid Old Cale, this
fiery father-in-law of yours; in fact, you mean to see him face to
face?"

"Got ter," replied the other, laconically; "'cause she sez so. Hit may
be I kin do hit on the way up to the lakes; but if not then I'm acomin'
back with Eli an' the canoes thisaways, arter yuh gits aboard ther
train; an' I'll hang around this deestrict till we meets. Never'd dar'
show myself tuh her, 'less I done everything agoin' tuh kerry it out."

"And don't you feel a little uneasy about your ears, Jim?"

"Wall, it wudn't be jest the nicest thing agoin' tuh lose 'em; but she
sez as haow Ole Cale, he's bound tuh cave when he hears what I gotter
tuh tell him."

Evidently Jim had said all he meant to, and Thad took the hint.