He was also, in such surroundings, almost admirable as he stood before her bareheaded and dripping, the river frothing at his feet and the sliding mists behind him.

Deerskin jacket and stained and faded jean, lean, sinewy figure, and bronzed face were all in keeping with the spirit of the scene.
Then a voice came out of the bush.
"Hallo, Harry! Are you anywhere around ?" it said.
Alton answered, and Miss Deringham felt distinctly displeased.

She had been about to say something delicately apposite, and now Seaforth, whose company she could have dispensed with, stood on the bank above them, apparently quietly amused.
"You seem to be enjoying yourself, Harry," he said.
"Well," said Alton a trifle curtly, "you didn't come keeyowling through the bush like a prairie coyote to tell me that ?" "No," said Seaforth, with a sudden change in his voice which Miss Deringham noticed.

"There's a man in from the settlement, and Hallam's selling Townshead up to-day according to his tale." Alton scrambled swiftly along the log.

"Just one question, Charley.
Quite sure nobody came here with any message for me about it that you forgot ?" he said.
Seaforth made a little gesture of impatience, and there was a trace of anger in his tone.