Here had come Anon Bordoux and Mora Le-Clede, drawn by the sight of the
factor at the Baptistes' door, their tongues flying in eager question.
"--of such gorgeousness," Marie was saying, "such softness of white
doeskin, such wealth of the beading--"
"Marie," said Maren sharply, "is there naught to do save gossip?"
Anon and Mora fell into confused silence, the habit of the trail where
this girl's word had been the law falling upon them, but Marie, saucy
and not to be daunted, was not so easily hushed.
"Is it not true," she cried, "that the factor brought it but now to the
door in plain sight of all?"
Whereon Maren passed, out the open door and the tongues began again,
more carefully.
In the distance there flashed a crimson skirt at whose beaded edge
there hung a great grey dog, his heavy head waist-high to the little
maid who wore it.
CHAPTER VIII FIRST DAWN
Throughout the week that followed Fort de Seviere was gay with the
bustle of trading. Packs of furs went up the main way and loads of
merchandise went down, carried on the backs of the braves, guns and
blankets and many a foot of Spencer's Twist at one beaver a foot,
powder and balls in buckskin bags, and all the things of heart's desire
that had brought the Assiniboines from the forks of the Saskatchewan.
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