Like a swallow she was at the
door, and the door opened and closed behind her, and for a moment
he heard the quick running of her feet. Then he looked at the old
Indian, and the Indian, too, was staring at the door through which
St. Pierre's wife had flown.
XXII
For many seconds that seemed like minutes David stood where she
had left him, while Nepapinas rose gruntingly to his feet, and
gathered up his belongings, and hobbled sullenly to the bateau
door and out. He was scarcely conscious of the Indian's movement,
for his soul was aflame with a red-hot fire. Deliberately--with
that ravishing glory of something in her eyes--St. Pierre's wife
had kissed him! On her tiptoes, her cheeks like crimson flowers,
she had given her still redder lips to him! And his own lips
burned, and his heart pounded hard, and he stared for a time like
one struck dumb at the spot where she had stood by the window.
Then suddenly, he turned to the door and flung it wide open, and
on his lips was the reckless cry of Marie-Anne's name. But St.
Pierre's wife was gone, and Nepapinas was gone, and at the tail of
the big sweep sat only Joe Clamart, guarding watchfully.
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