that　found　and　followed　the　crystal　paths　through　the　waste　of　foam。。。。
  There　were　long；　quiet　stretches；　hemmed　in　by　alders；　where　the　canoes；
  dodging　the　fallen　trees；　glided　through　the　still　water。。。　　No　such
  silent；　exhilarating　motion　Janet　had　ever　known。　　Even　the　dipping
  paddles　made　no　noise；　though　sometimes　there　was　a　gurgle；　as　though　a
  fish　had　broken　the　water　behind　them；　sometimes；　in　the　shining　pools
  ahead；　she　saw　the　trout　leap　out。　　At　every　startling　flop　Delphin　would
  exclaim：　〃Un　gros！〃　　From　an　upper　branch　of　a　spruce　a　kingfisher　darted
  like　an　arrow　into　the　water；　making　a　splash　like　a　falling　stone。
  Once；　after　they　had　passed　through　the　breach　of　a　beaver　dam；　Herve
  nodded　his　head　toward　a　mound　of　twigs　by　the　bank　and　muttered
  something。　　Augusta　Maturin　laughed。
  〃Cabane　de　castor；　he　saysa　beaver　cabin。　　And　the　beavers　made　the　dam
  we　just　passed。　　Did　you　notice；　Janet；　how　beautifully　clean　those　logs
  had　been　cut　by　their　sharp　teeth？〃
  At　moments　she　conversed　rapidly　with　Delphin　in　the　same　patois　Janet
  had　heard　on　the　streets　of　Hampton。　　How　long　ago　that　seemed！
  On　two　occasions；　when　the　falls　were　sheer；　they　had　to　disembark　and
  walk　along　little　portages　through　the　green　raspberry　bushes。　　The
  prints　of　great　hooves　in　the　black　silt　betrayed　where　wild　animals　had
  paused　to　drink。　　They　stopped　for　lunch　on　a　warm　rock　beside　a　singing
  waterfall；　and　at　last　they　turned　an　elbow　in　the　stream　and　with
  suddenly　widened　vision　beheld　the　lake's　sapphire　expanse　and　the
  distant　circle　of　hills。　　〃Les　montagnes；〃　Herve　called　them　as　he　flung
  out　his　pipe；　and　this　Janet　could　translate　for　herself。　　Eastward　they
  lay　lucent　in　the　afternoon　light；　westward；　behind　the　generous　log　camp
  standing　on　a　natural　terrace　above　the　landing；　they　were　in　shadow。
  Here　indeed　seemed　peace；　if　remoteness；　if　nature　herself　might　bestow
  it。
  Janet　little　suspected　that　special　preparations　had　been　made　for　her
  comfort。　　Early　in　April；　while　the　wilderness　was　still　in　the　grip　of
  winter；　Delphin　had　been　summoned　from　a　far…away　lumber　camp　to　Saint
  Hubert；　where　several　packing…cases　and　two　rolls　of　lead　pipe　from
  Montreal　lay　in　a　shed　beside　the　railroad　siding。　　He　had　superintended
  the　transportation　of　these；　on　dog　sledges；　up　the　frozen　decharge；
  accompanied　on　his　last　trip　by　a　plumber　of　sorts　from　Beaupre；　thirty
  miles　down　the　line；　and　between　them　they　had　improvised　a　bathroom；　and
  attached　a　boiler　to　the　range！　　Only　a　week　before　the　arrival　of　Madame
  the　spring　on　the　hillside　above　the　camp　had　been　tapped；　and　the　pipe
  laid　securely　underground。　　Besides　this　unheard…of　luxury　for　the　Lac　du
  Sablier　there　were　iron　beds　and　mattresses　and　little　wood　stoves　to　go
  in　the　four　bedrooms；　which　were　more　securely　chinked　with　moss。　　The
  traditions　of　that　camp　had　been　hospitable。　　In　Professor　Wishart's　day
  many　guests　had　come　and　gone；　or　pitched　their　tents　nearby；　and　Augusta
  Maturin；　until　this　summer；　had　rarely　been　here　alone；　although　she　had
  no　fears　of　the　wilderness；　and　Delphin　brought　his　daughter　Delphine　to
  do　the　housework　and　cooking。　　The　land　for　miles　round　about　was　owned
  by　a　Toronto　capitalist　who　had　been　a　friend　of　her　father；　and　who
  could　afford　as　a　hobby　the　sparing　of　the　forest。　　By　his　permission　a
  few　sportsmen　came　to　fish　or　shoot；　and　occasionally　their　campfires
  could　be　seen　across　the　water；　starlike　glows　in　the　darkness　of　the
  night；　at　morning　and　evening　little　blue　threads　of　smoke　that　rose
  against　the　forest；　〃bocane；〃　Delphin　called　it；　and　Janet　found　a　sweet；
  strange　magic　in　these　words　of　the　pioneer。
  The　lake　was　a　large　one；　shaped　like　an　hourglass；　as　its　name　implied；
  and　Augusta　Maturin　sometimes　paddled　Janet　through　the　wide；　shallow
  channel　to　the　northern　end；　even　as　she　had　once　paddled　Gifford。　　Her
  genius　was　for　the　helpless。　　One　day；　when　the　waters　were　high；　and　the
  portages　could　be　dispensed　with；　they　made　an　excursion　through　the
  Riviere　des　Peres　to　the　lake　of　that　name；　the　next　in　the　chain　above。
  For　luncheon　they　ate　the　trout　Augusta　caught；　and　in　the　afternoon；
  when　they　returned　to　the　mouth　of　the　outlet；　Herve；　softly　checking　the
  canoe　with　his　paddle；　whispered　the　word　〃Arignal！〃　Thigh　deep　in　the
  lush　grasses　of　the　swamp　was　an　animal　with　a　huge　grey　head；　like　a
  donkey's；　staring　foolishly　in　their　directiona　cow　moose。　　With　a
  tremendous　commotion　that　awoke　echoes　in　the　forest　she　tore　herself
  from　the　mud　and　disappeared；　followed　by　her　panic…stricken　offspring；　a
  caricature　of　herself。。。。
  By　September　the　purple　fireweed　that　springs　up　beside　old　camps；　and　in
  the　bois　brute；　had　bloomed　and　scattered　its　myriad；　impalpable
  thistledowns　over　crystal　floors。　　Autumn　came　to　the　Laurentians。　　In
  the　morning　the　lake　lay　like　a　quicksilver　pool　under　the　rising　mists；
  through　which　the　sun　struck　blinding　flashes　of　light。　　A　little　later；
  when　the　veil　had　lifted；　it　became　a　mirror　for　the　hills　and　crags；　the
  blue　reaches　of　the　sky。　　The　stinging　air　was　spiced　with　balsam。
  Revealed　was　the　incredible　brilliance　of　another　day；the　arsenic…green
  of　the　spruce；　the　red　and　gold　of　the　maples；　the　yellow　of　the　alders
  bathing　in　the　shallows；　of　the　birches；　whose　white　limbs　could　be　seen
  gleaming　in　the　twilight　of　the　thickets。　　Early；　too　early；　the　sun　fell
  down　behind　the　serrated　forest…edge　of　the　western　hill；　a　ball　of
  orange　fire。。。。　　One　evening　Delphin　and　Herve；　followed　by　two　other
  canoes；　paddled　up　to　the　landing。　　New　visitors　had　arrived；　Dr。　McLeod；
  who　had　long　been　an　intimate　of　the　Wishart　family；　and　with　him　a
  buxom；　fresh…complexioned　Canadian　woman；　a　trained　nurse　whom　he　had
  brought　from　Toronto。
  There；　in　nature's　wilderness；　Janet　knew　the　supreme　experience　of
  women；　the　agony；　the　renewal　and　joy　symbolic　of　nature　herself。　　When
  the　child　was　bathed　and　dressed　in　the　clothes　Augusta　Maturin　herself
  had　made　for　it；　she　brought　it　into　the　room　to　the　mother。
  〃It's　a　daughter；〃　she　announced。
  Janet　regarded　the　child　wistfully。　　〃I　hoped　it　would　be　a　boy；〃　she
  said。　　〃He　would　have　hada　better　chance。〃　　But　she　raised　her　arms；
  and　the　child　was　laid　in　the　bed　beside　her。
  〃We'll　see　that　she　has　a　chance；　my　dear；〃　Augusta　Maturin　replied；　as
  she　kissed　her。
  Ten　days　went　by；　Dr。　McLeod　lingered　at　Lac　du　Sablier；　and　Janet　was
  still　in　bed。　　Even　in　this　life…giving　air　she　did　not　seem　to　grow
  stronger。　　Sometimes；　when　the　child　was　sleeping　in　its　basket　on　the
  sunny　porch；　Mrs。　Maturin　read　to　her；　but　often　when　she　was　supposed　to
  rest；　she　lay　gazing　out　of　the　open　window　into　silver　space　listening
  to　the　mocking　laughter　of　the　loons；　watching　the　ducks　flying　across
  the　sky；　or；　as　evening　drew　on；　marking　in　the　waters　a　steely　angle
  that　grew　and　grewthe　wake　of　a　beaver　swimming　homeward　in　the
  twilight。　　In　the　cold　nights　the　timbers　cracked　to　the　frost；　she　heard
  the　owls　calling　to　one　another　from　the　fastnesses　of　the　forest；　and
  thought　of　life's　inscrutable　mystery。　　Then　the　child　would　be　brought
  to　her。　　It　was　a　strange；　unimagined　happiness　she　knew　when　she　felt　it
  clutching　at　her　breasts；　at　her　heart；　a　happiness　not　unmixed　with
  yearning；　with　sadness　as　she　pressed　it　to　her。　　Why　could　it　not　remain
  there　always；　to　comfort　her；　to　be　nearer　her　than　any　living　thing？
  Reluctantly　she　gave　it　back　to　the　nurse；　wistfully　her　eyes　followed
  it。。。。
  Twice　a　week；　now；　Delphin　and　Herve　made　the　journey　to　Saint　Hubert；
  and　one　evening；　after　Janet　had　watched　them　paddling　across　the　little
  bay　that　separated　the　camp　from　the　outlet's　mouth；　Mrs。　Maturin
  appeared；　with　an　envelope　in　her　hand。
  〃I've　got　a　letter　from　Brooks　Insall；　Janet；〃　she　said；　with　a　well…
  disguised　effort　to　speak　naturally。　　〃It's　not　the　first　one　he's　sent
  me；　but　I　haven't　mentioned　the　others。　　He's　in　Sillistonand　I　wrote
  him　about　the　daughter。〃
  〃Yes；〃　said　Janet。
  〃Wellhe　wants　to　come　up　here；　to　see　you；　before　we　go　away。　　He　asks
  me　to　telegraph　your　permission。〃
  〃Oh　no；　he　mustn't；　Mrs。　Maturin！〃
  〃You　don't　care　to　see　him？〃
  〃It　isn't　that。　　I'd　like　to　see　him　if　things　had　been　different。　　But
  now　that　I've　disappointed　himhurt　him；　I　couldn't　stand　it。　　I　know
  it's　only　his　kindness。〃
  After　a　moment　Augusta　Maturin　handed　Janet　a　sealed　envelope　she　held　in
  her　hand。
  〃He　asked　me　to　give　you　this；〃　she　said；　and　left　the　room。　　Janet　read
  it；　and　let　it　fall　on　the　bedspread；　where　it　was　still　lying　when　her
  friend　returned　and　began　tidying　the　room。　　From　the　direction　of　the
  guide's　cabin；　on　the　point；　came　the　sounds　of　talk　and　laughter；　broken
  by　snatches　of　habitant　songs。　　Augusta　Maturin　smiled。　　She　pretended
  not　to　notice　the　tears　in　Janet's　eyes；　and　strove　to　keep　back　her　own。
  〃Delphin　and　Herve　saw　a　moose　in　the　decharge；〃　she　explained。　　〃Of
  course　it　was　a　big　one；　it　always　is！　　They're　telling　the　doctor　about
  it。〃
  〃Mrs。　Maturin；〃　said　Janet；　〃I'd　like　to　talk　to　you。　　I　think　I　ought　to
  tell　you　what　Mr。　Insall　says。〃