Part 44 (1/2)
”What's in the larder?”
She smiled at his tone, in spite of her own seriousness.
”Bacon--perhaps enough for three days, with the bread, if we don't eat much; and chocolate for four or five breakfasts. That's all.”
”And then?”
”Are there deer in those forests, do you think?”
”Very likely. This is an un-hunted country, I imagine.”
”Great!” she cried.
”What do you propose to do? Whistle for them?”
She could afford to smile at that.
”Didn't you see my rifle?”
”Just now--yes. What's it for?”
”You'll see.”
”Diana of Thunder Mountain, eh? Well, I'm ready to admit you're some huntress. But deer! That's another thing.”
The color flooded her cheeks.
”Cousin Seth taught me to shoot,” she answered, turning her face away.
”I killed a deer on Mount Avalanche.”
”But where did Cousin Seth learn to shoot? The last time he--”
”Please, Philip!”
”Well, when you've brought down your deer, what will you do with it?”
The color deserted her face at that.
”I watched him do it,” she said, shuddering at the recollection.
”But you can't do that alone.”
”I've got to,” she replied simply. And then, on a sudden thought: ”There should be grouse too, shouldn't there?”
”Perhaps.”
”I learned to kill grouse with my rifle.”
He looked at her with a wicked grin. This time he had her!