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"Oh!" said Flick, as if suddenly remembering something, something in which he was not particularly interested, but which would serve as a topic of conversation during these tense moments of waiting; "Nitschkan is up at Colina, and Mrs. Thomas." "Nitschkan!" A faintly humorous smile crept from Gallito's mouth up to his eyes. He was genuinely interested if Flick was not. "What is she doing there?"
"There were about fifty of them. Whenever we stopped to rest or eat, they rode around us in a big circle yelling and firing their guns in the air trying to break our nerve." A gasp escaped her hearers at the picture she evoked three women on the wide prairie, and a horde of yelling savages! "I did not mind them so much," Colina went on simply, "for I was sure they were too cowardly to attack us.
This was the side farther from the lower village, and the Enterprise trail, and Colina wondered if she had not made a mistake. Mounting over the rim of the coulée a superb night-view was open to them. Before them rolled the bald prairie wide as the sea, with all the stars of heaven piercing the black dome overhead. It was still and frosty; the horses breathed smoke.
Even from where they were, a glance at the huddled figure was enough to tell the truth. None of the others would hear of Strange's going. Colina and Giddings pleaded with him. Gaviller forbade him. Strange with seeming reluctance finally gave in. Whenever he witnessed such evidences of their trust in the half-breed Ambrose's lip curled in the darkness.
The aspect, the very smell of the little room, brought back the scene of two days before and set Ambrose's heart to beating. Presently Colina came swiftly in, closing the door behind her. She was very pale, and there were dark circles under her eyes. She showed the unnatural self-possession that a brave woman forces on herself in the presence of a great emergency. Her eyes were tragic.
I was furious at her because she helped you at the time when I was on the side of your enemies. I have been suffering torments all night. Forgive me. I am going to find Nesis myself. That is the only way I can make up for everything. I love you. Upon leaving Ambrose, Colina despatched his letter across the river by Michel Trudeau. She then dressed for dinner.
"Bam-by she hear a fonny little noise way off. Twigs crackling, and somesing bumping and tromping in the snow. Colina think it is big game and go quick. Some tam she stop and listen. Bam-by she hear fonny snarling and grunting. She know there is a fight and she is a little scare. But she go more fas'. "Wa! Wa! What a sight she sec there! Poor Michel he pretty near done.
However, less than a mile from the river, they forded a little brook, climbed a shallow hill, and there, true to her agreement, waited Marya, standing like a statue beside the trail. Colina, making believe to be greatly astonished, dismounted, and drew her apart. Marya, understanding from her glance of intelligence that the others were not in the secret, gesticulated vividly for their benefit.
She saw the painter's brush for the first time that exquisite rose of the prairies and instantly dismounted to gather a bunch to thrust in her belt. The delicate, ashy pink of the flower matched the color in her cheeks. On her rides Colina was accustomed to dismount when she chose, and Ginger, her sorrel gelding, would crop the grass contentedly until she was ready to mount again.
Nesis lifted her eyes to Colina's eyes luminous with eagerness and emotion and quickly nodded again. "Why doesn't she speak!" thought Colina. Aloud she said: "All right. Tell them I am going to take you. Tell them anybody that interferes does so at his peril." She pointed to her rifle. To Colina's astonishment, the girl lowered her head and flung an arm up over her face.
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