"ThankGod, we'vegotslathersoftea! I'veseenitgrowing, 'tIgiveforahotcornponejustnow! Nevermind, Ruth; youwon'tstarvemuchlonger, norwearmoccasinseither." Thewomanthrewoffhergloomatthis, andinhereyeswelledupagreatloveforherwhitelord—thefirstwhitemanshehadeverseen—thefirstmanwhomshehadknowntotreatawomanassomethingbetterthanamereanimalorbeastofburden.
"Yes, Ruth," continuedherhusband, havingrecoursetothemacaronicjargoninwhichitwasalonepossibleforthemtounderstandeachother; "'lltaketheWhiteMan', badwater, roughwater—, sofar, sofaraway—youtraveltensleep, twentysleep, fortysleep" —hegraphicallyenumeratedthedaysonhisfingers—"allthetimewater, , plentypeople, , sohigh—ten, twentypines."
"Hi-yuskookum!" Hepausedimpotently, castanappealingglanceatMalemuteKid, thenlaboriouslyplacedthetwentypines, endonend, ; butRuth'seyeswerewidewithwonder, andwithpleasure; forshehalfbelievedhewasjoking, andsuchcondescensionpleasedherpoorwoman'sheart.
