"I am not at all afraid, and I wish to be alone." "But you might lose your way, Gabrielle." "I will not. I know the way quite well." "But it is easy to get lost, Gabrielle, in this vast forest; among these hills, these cliffs, these marshes; and there are places where one might fall, and not be able to rise alone. One needs a companion." "I do not. Will you please leave me?" "I will not leave you, Gabrielle, until you are with your friends." "Why, why? _Mon Dieu_, why not?" "Because I love you, Gabrielle." Gabrielle paused for a moment, on tiptoe, like a frightened deer; and then sprang away, and went on with incredible swiftness up the hill; then along a level place for a while; then down another slope; winding about in a maze of trees and rocks, hills and valleys; but all the time keeping, as she thought, the same general direction toward the place where her friends had set their camp. An hour later Gabrielle found herself standing on the crest of a hill looking down upon a lake that shimmered in the sunshine, with tiny waves that sparkled like a cluster of diamonds set in emeralds. It was Lac des Isles, no doubt, where they had camped the night before. But where was the camp? And where were the islands? There was but one island to be seen; and no camp at all--only a cabin half hidden in the trees below. Yet the place was strangely familiar. What? Where could it be? Was it possible? Gabrielle turned in dismay, and there was Jean standing beside her. "Monsieur Giroux, Jean, what is this? Where am I?" "This is Lac Desir, Gabrielle, and you are with one who loves you, dear." Gabrielle looked up with a wistful smile. "Are you sure, Jean, that you love me as much as you love the lake, for example; or the forest?" "Oh, Gabrielle, it is you that I love, and you only." "Or the life of the wilderness, Jean; and the struggle, the conflict, the conquest?" "Gabrielle!" "Or the pretty log cabin down there, Jean; or that lovely canoe all made of one piece of bark, so strong, so graceful, so perfect in all its lines. Or----" "Hush, dear," said Jean, taking her in his strong arms, and kissing her on the wayward lips again and again, while her flaming cheeks and loving eyes, her quick breathing and the fluttering of her heart, told better than any words that she loved this man and would go with him to the end of the world. By-and-by they went down the hill together; and as Jean was showing Gabrielle his home in the wilderness, she looked up in his face with an expression of perfect trust and whispered her confession of love and unconditional surrender. "Jean, we shall be happy here. You will be my world and I yours. Two worlds should be enough for us; quite sufficient, should they not?"