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Page 32
"Mon Dieu!" he breathed.
In the next instant he had given a sharp cry of wonder that mingled
with a sudden yell of pain from McTaggart. Like a flash Baree had
darted across the floor and fastened his teeth in the factor's leg.
They had bitten deep before McTaggart freed himself with a powerful
kick. With an oath he snatched his revolver from its holster. The
Willow was ahead of him. With a little cry she darted to Baree and
caught him in her arms. As she looked up at McTaggart, her soft, bare
throat was within a few inches of Baree's naked fangs. Her eyes blazed.
"You beat him!" she cried. "He hates you--hates you--"
"Let him go!" called Pierrot in an agony of fear.
"Mon Dieu! I say let him go, or he will tear the life from you!"
"He hates you--hates you--hates you--" the Willow was repeating over
and over again into McTaggart's startled face. Then suddenly she turned
to her father. "No, he will not tear the life from me," she cried.
"See! It is Baree. Did I not tell you that? It is Baree! Is it not
proof that he defended me--"
"From me!" gasped McTaggart, his face darkening.
Pierrot advanced and laid a hand on McTaggart's arm. He was smiling.
"Let us leave them to fight it out between themselves, m'sieu," he
said. "They are two little firebrands, and we are not safe. If she is
bitten--"
He shrugged his shoulders. A great load had been lifted from them
suddenly. His voice was soft and persuasive. And now the anger had gone
out of the Willow's face. A coquettish uplift of her eyes caught
McTaggart, and she looked straight at him half smiling, as she spoke to
her father:
"I will join you soon, mon pere--you and M'sieu the Factor from Lac
Bain!"
There were undeniable little devils in her eyes, McTaggart
thought--little devils laughing full at him as she spoke, setting his
brain afire and his blood to throbbing wildly. Those eyes--full of
dancing witches! How he would take pleasure in taming them--very soon
now! He followed Pierrot outside. In his exultation he no longer felt
the smart of Baree's teeth.
"I will show you my new cariole that I have made for winter, m'sieu,"
said Pierrot as the door closed behind them.
Half an hour later Nepeese came out of the cabin. She could see that
Pierrot and the factor had been talking about something that had not
been pleasant to her father. His face was strained. She caught in his
eyes the smolder of fire which he was trying to smother, as one might
smother flames under a blanket. McTaggart's jaws were set, but his eyes
lighted up with pleasure when he saw her. She knew what it was about.
The factor from Lac Bain had been demanding his answer of Pierrot, and
Pierrot had been telling him what she had insisted upon--that he must
come to her. And he was coming! She turned with a quick beating of the
heart and hurried down a little path. She heard McTaggart's footsteps
behind her, and threw the flash of a smile over her shoulder. But her
teeth were set tight. The nails of her fingers were cutting into the
palms of her hands.
Pierrot stood without moving. He watched them as they disappeared into
the edge of the forest, Nepeese still a few steps ahead of McTaggart.
Out of his breast rose a sharp breath.
"Par les milles cornes du diable!" he swore softly. "Is it
possible--that she smiles from her heart at that beast? Non! It is
impossible. And yet--if it is so--"
One of his brown hands tightened convulsively about the handle of the
knife in his belt, and slowly he began to follow them.
McTaggart did not hurry to overtake Nepeese. She was following the
narrow path deeper into the forest, and he was glad of that. They would
be alone--away from Pierrot. He was ten steps behind her, and again the
Willow smiled at him over her shoulder. Her body moved sinuously and
swiftly. She was keeping accurate measurement of the distance between
them--but McTaggart did not guess that this was why she looked back
every now and then. He was satisfied to let her go on. When she turned
from the narrow trail into a side path that scarcely bore the mark of
travel, his heart gave an exultant jump. If she kept on, he would very
soon have her alone--a good distance from the cabin. The blood ran hot
in his face. He did not speak to her, through fear that she would stop.
Ahead of them he heard the rumble of water. It was the creek running
through the chasm.
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