Kept close to the factory by the bartering, McElroy and Ridgar and the
two clerks hardly saw the blue spring sky, nor caught a breath of the
scented air of the spring. Within the forest the Saskatoon was blooming
and the blueberry bushes were tossing soft heads of foam, while many a
tree of the big woods gave forth a breath of spice. It came in at the
door and the young factor raised his head many times a day to drink its
sweetness in a sort of wistfulness. At dusk he stood on the sill,
released from the trade, and looked over his settlement as was his
habit, and ever his eyes strayed to that new cabin at the far end, of
the northern row.
What was she thinking, that dark-browed girl with the deep eyes that
changed as the waters of a lake with each breath of wind, of him and
the blundering gift he had carried to her door? What had she done with
it, and would he ever see it clinging to those splendid shoulders,
falling over the rounded breast?
A feeling of warmth grew at his heart each day with thought of her, and
when he saw her swinging down toward the well he felt the blood leap in
his veins. The very shine of the sun was different when it struck the
tight black braids wrapped round her head.
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