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He makes her say whatever he wants." "It is the truth I am crazy 'bout you," said Nesis. Ambrose sighed. "Listen to me. I tell you straight, if you go with me it will ruin me. I am as good as a jailbird already." She gave her head an impatient shake. "I not understand," she said sadly. "You say it. I guess it is truth." There was a silence. Nesis's childlike brows were bent into a frown.
Ambrose dropped the gun and, jumping up, swore helplessly under his breath. He stared at the oncoming boat, fascinated with perplexity. During the few seconds between his first sight of it and its grounding at his feet, the complications bound to follow on her coming presented themselves with a horrible clearness. His face turned grim. Nesis, landing, could not face his look.
In its light the objects around him were more clearly revealed. Apparently the riders were straggling to a rendezvous. There was no haste. The terrible depression which had afflicted Ambrose since Nesis had disappeared was dissipated by the imminence of a great event. He lived in the moment.
Never had his nostrils tasted anything sweeter than the smell of warm river water on the chill air, nor his eyes beheld a friendlier sight than the cheery stars. The one who fares forth does not repine. After all he had only known Nesis for two days; she was fine and plucky but he could not love her, and that was all there was to it.
The other girl grinned and nodded, the word was passed around, and they all came forward a little way in the grass with a timid air. Their inquisitive eyes sought to pierce the obscurity of the shack. Ambrose, not yet knowing what was expected of him, kept in the background. The fat girl, prompted and nudged by Nesis, suddenly squalled something in Kakisa, which convulsed them all.
While it was still light they came out on another meadow. Nesis signed to Colina that they should halt at the edge of the trees on the other side, and, picketing the horses, let them graze for a little while. It was done. The horses had to feed and rest, and this looked like as good a place as any.
To Colina's nostrils rose the delicate smell of the rich buffalo grass, which cures itself as it grows. The tired horses, excited by it, pawed the earth, and pulled at the lines. They halted, and Nesis turned her face up, fixing their position by the stars. She finally pointed to the southeast.
However, he quickly reflected that it was only by exercising his wits that he could hope to help Nesis. He took the detestable hand and returned an offhand greeting. "You mak' beeg mistak' you try run away," said Watusk. "You mos' safe here." "How is that?" asked Ambrose warily. "I your friend," said Watusk. Ambrose suppressed the inclination to laugh.
When Nesis placed her hands on the sill a thin package slipped out of her sleeve and thudded upon the floor. Ambrose's heart jumped. As the girls ran away, under cover of leaning out and calling after them, he pushed her gift under the table with his foot. One of the jailers, coming to the window and glancing about the room, found him unconcernedly lighting his pipe.
"I think it likely," Ambrose said, "that Nesis" Colina winced at the sound of the name "has been spirited away from the Kakisa village. There are two other villages, one on Buffalo Lake and one on Kakisa Lake, about sixty miles up the Kakisa River. "They brought her up the river with me, so it is hardly likely she was sent down again to Buffalo Lake. I think she's at Kakisa Lake, if she's alive."
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