It was later in the evening that Jim faced the music. He carried Angela's few belongings up to her room, and was bidding her "good-night" when she turned on him with flashing eyes. "How dare you tell lies?" "Eh?" "How dare you tell that woman I was your sister?" "I didn't. I told Devinne." "Don't quibble. I--I thought you were above mean falsehood." He shrugged his shoulders, surprised that she did not see his object. "If I had told her the truth it would have been embarrassing for you." "For me!" "Yep. Angela, don't you see it would mean----" "Well?" "It would mean that we should have to act as man and wife." "Well, haven't you always tried to act as--husband?" "Have I?--I guess not. And I'm not wanting to take advantage of a situation. If you'll look clearly you'll see this thing square. I guess it would have bin awkward if they had yanked us into this room--together." He said "good-night" softly and shut the door. Angela sat down on the bed and stared at the wall. So he had thought of that! It was amazing the things he could think of when he tried hard! She tore off her clothes and flung herself on to the pillow, annoyed, exasperated, and generally bewildered. Then she got up, lighted the candle again, and surveyed her fresh, incomparable beauty in the mirror. "Am I getting old--ugly?" she murmured. "Ah yes--Natalie is pretty enough to get things if she tries!" CHAPTER XXI NATALIE TRIES HER LUCK Life at the trading-post might have been a pleasant thing to Angela but for one patent fact, and this fact was rendered more palpable every hour. It requires a woman to thoroughly analyze another woman's feelings, and Angela experienced little difficulty in probing the heart of Natalie. From the moment when Jim had first stepped through the doorway Angela had been aware of the fact that all Natalie's interest was centered on him. She had seen the look of suspense in Natalie's face when Devinne had inquired of Jim their relationship, and had heard the soft sigh when the untruthful answer was returned. Hitherto she had imagined love at first sight to be a mere figure of speech, but not now. It was chiefly that fact which aroused her anger against Jim. It looked as if he deliberately gave the lie to encourage these passionate advances of Natalie. Jim himself was the flower of innocence. Natalie was certainly an attractive woman, and she had the knack of enhancing her attractiveness by subtle, and not ungraceful, movement of her body and limbs. But all her charms were eclipsed by the mystical beauty of Angela. But for her constant obtrusiveness, it is doubtful whether Jim would have noticed her prettiness at all. He found the post a pleasant enough place after the eternal discomforts of the trail, and Devinne a thoroughly good fellow.