Unobserved, he went into the store and washed the blood from his face,
chuckling with huge satisfaction when he looked at himself in the
little glass which hung over the wash-basin.
"Ah, my sweet Iowaka, but would you guess now that Jean de Gravois had
received two clouts on the side of the head that almost sent him into
the blessed hereafter? I would not have had you see it for all the
gold in this world!"
A little later he went to the cabin. Iowaka and the children were at
Croisset's, and he sat down to smoke a pipe. Scarce had he begun
sending up blue clouds of smoke when the door opened and Melisse came
in.
"Hello, ma chere," he cried gaily, laughing at her with a wave of his
pipe.
In an instant she had flung the shawl from her head and was upon her
knees at his feet, her white face turned up to him pleadingly, her
breath falling upon him in panting, sobbing excitement.
"Jean, Jean!" she whispered, stretching up her hands to his face.
"Please tell me that you will never tell Jan--please tell me that you
never will, Jean--never, never, never!"
"I will say nothing, Melisse."
"Never, Jean?"
"Never."
For a sobbing breath she dropped her head upon his knees. Then,
suddenly, she drew down his face and kissed him.
"Thank you, Jean, for what you have done!"
"Mon Dieu!" gasped Jean when she had gone.
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