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"The stable is dirty," she persisted. "That's Shand's job," said Joe. "Well, I ain't goin' to leave you two here," growled Shand. "There's plenty of other work, if it comes to that." "All go clean the stable," commanded Bela. "I lak a clean stable." "Now go cut plenty wood, so I can cook good," she ordered when they came back. "I want pine or birch. No poplar."
And as he looked round him ununderstanding and wretched his glance fell upon the key which he himself had placed upon the brass tray a few moments ago; and the key brought back to his mind the recollection of Klara the Jewess, her domination over Béla, her triumph over Elsa, and also the terrible plight in which she had found herself when she had begged Andor for friendly help, and given him in exchange the solemn promise which he had exacted from her.
With a fresh burst of weeping she knocked it out of his hand, and covered her face with her arm. Sam strode away, blinded and deafened by the confusion of his feelings. His face was as stubborn as stone. When Sam had passed out of sight around the willows, Bela, still shaken by sobs, went down on her hands and knees to search for the penknife she had spurned.
The other men watched her, astonished and uneasy. None had ever seen her like this. When the dinner was fairly under way it transpired who the vacant place was for. "Come and sit down, Bela!" cried Joe. "Lend us the light of your handsome face to eat by. Have something yourself. Don't be a stranger at your own table!" Big Jack scowled into his plate, and Coulson bit his lip.
"A white woman!" announced Johnny triumphantly. Bela frowned and stole a side glance at Sam. The men having lately come from the land of white women were not especially impressed. "Only one white woman here before," Johnny went on. "Her comp'ny trader's wife. This her sister. Call Mees Mackall. Her old, but got no 'osban' at all. That is fonny thing I t'ink. Boys say all tam talk, laugh, nod head.
"Béla, you must not say that," she broke in firmly; "you know that Andor never was a drunkard." "I never suggested that he was," retorted Béla, whose square, hard face had become a shade paler than before, "so there is no reason for my future wife to champion him quite so hotly as you always do." "I only spoke the truth."
In spite of herself, she was ravished by the picture of Sam at her feet, begging for forgiveness. "Well, maybe I wait," she said. Musq'oosis followed up his advantage. "No," he said firmly. "Not lak travel in wagon, me. Mak' my bones moch sore. I am old. I not go wit'out you promise wait." "Not wait all tam," declared Bela. "Six days," suggested Musq'oosis. She hesitated, fighting her pride.
The horsemen passing around the bay became mere specks in the distance. Reaching the foot of the lake they had to cover a straight stretch of a mile and a half to the river. The trail lay behind willows here, and they disappeared from view. It was anybody's race. Bela, the extraordinary girl, still had a reserve of strength to draw on.
He talked on very volubly and at the top of his voice, making ostentatious efforts to appear jovial and amiable to everyone; but Erös Béla was no fool: he knew quite well that his attitude toward his bride and toward Klara the Jewess was causing many adverse comments to go round among his friends. But he was in a mood not to care.
She felt wrathful with Béla as wrathful, at least, as so gentle a creature could be. She was ashamed of his behaviour, ashamed for herself as well as for him, and she didn't want to speak with him just now. But he, still feeling dictatorial and despotic, had not yet finished asserting his authority. He called to her loudly and peremptorily: "Elsa! I want a word with you."
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