She recalled the old Corporal's words of a few weeks ago, and her conversation with Stark came back to her.

What if it were true--that which Runnion implied?
What if he did not intend to ask her, after all?
What if he had only been amusing himself?
She cried out sharply at this, and when Doret staggered in beneath a great load of skins he found her in a strange excitement.

When he had finished his accounting with the Indian and dismissed him, she turned an agitated face to the Frenchman.
"Poleon," she said, "I'm in trouble.

Oh, I'm in such awful trouble!" "It's dat Runnion! I seen 'im pass on de store w'ile I'm down below." His brows knit in a black scowl, and his voice slid off a pitch in tone.

"Wat he say, eh ?" "No, no, it's not that.