Wat?
W'y don' you spik out ?" The three of them were alone, and only the sound of Gale's axe came to them; but at the light in the Canadian's face Runnion hastily disclaimed any such thought on his part, and Stark shrugged his denial.
"I don' know you feller' at all," continued Poleon, "but Ole Man Gale, he's my frien', so I guess you don' better talk no more lak' dat." "Don't get sore," said Stark.

"I simply say it looks bad." But the other had turned his back and was walking on.
There are men quite devoid of the ability to read the human face, and Runnion was of this species.

Moreover, malice was so bitter in his mouth that he must have it out, so when they paused to blaze the next stake he addressed himself to Stark loud enough for Poleon to hear.
"That Lieutenant is more of a man than I thought he was." "How so ?" inquired the older man.
"Well, it takes nerve to steal a girl for one night and then face the father; but the old man don't seem to mind it any more than she does.

I guess he knows what it means, all right." Stark laughed raucously.

"I thought of that myself," he said.
"That's probably how Gale got his squaw," concluded Runnion, with a sneer.
It seemed a full minute before the Frenchman gave sign that he had heard, then a strange cry broke from his throat and he began to tremble as if with cold.