His impatience showed itself in snappy commands and inquiries to
his Indian guides, who, however, merely grunted replies. They knew their
job and did it without command or advice, and with complete indifference
to anything the white man might have to say. To Paula the only change in
his manner was an excess of politeness.
Her father, however, met her with remonstrances.
"Why, Paula, my dear, you have kept us waiting."
"What's the rush, pater?" she enquired, coolly.
"Why, my dear, we are already behind our schedule, and you know Cornwall
hates that," he said in a low voice.
"Cornwall!" said Paula, in a loud voice of unmistakable ill temper.
"Does Cornwall run this outfit?"
"My dear Paula!" again remonstrated her father.
She turned to him impatiently, with an angry word at her lips, caught
upon Barry's face a look of surprise, paused midway in her passion, then
moved slowly toward him.
"Well," she asked, in an even, cold voice, "what do you think about it?
And anyway," she dropped her voice so that none heard but himself, "why
should you halt me? Who are you, to give me pause this way?"
"Only a missionary," he answered, in an equally low tone, but with a
smile gentle, almost wistful on his face.
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