Jenieve took her supper bowl and sat down on the doorstep.  The light cloud of smoke, drawn up to the roof-hole, ascended behind her, forming an azure gray curtain against which her figure showed, round-wristed and full-throated.  The starlike camp fires on Round Island were before her, and the incessant wash of the water on its pebbles was company to her.  Somebody knocked on the front door.

“It is that insolent Michel Pensonneau,” thought Jenieve.  “When he is tired he will go away.”  Yet she was not greatly surprised when the visitor ceased knocking and came around the palisades.

“Good-evening, Monsieur Crooks,” said Jenieve.

“Good-evening, mademoiselle,” responded Monsieur Crooks, and he leaned against the hut side, cap in hand, where he could look at her.  He had never yet been asked to enter the house.  Jenieve continued to eat her supper.

“I hope monsieur your uncle is well?”

“My uncle is well.  It isn’t necessary for me to inquire about madame your mother, for I have just seen her sitting on McClure’s doorstep.”

“Oh,” said Jenieve.

The young man shook his cap in a restless hand.  Though he spoke French easily, he was not dressed like an engage, and he showed through the dark the white skin of the Saxon.

“Mademoiselle Jenieve,”—­he spoke suddenly,—­“you know my uncle is well established as agent of the Fur Company, and as his assistant I expect to stay here.”

“Yes, monsieur.  Did you take in some fine bales of furs to-day?”

“That is not what I was going to say.”

“Monsieur Crooks, you speak all languages, don’t you?”

“Not all.  A few.  I know a little of nearly every one of our Indian dialects.”

“Monsieur, what does ‘malatat’ mean?”

“‘Malatat’?  That’s a Chippewa word.  You will often hear that.  It means ‘good for nothing.’”

“But I have heard that the chief Pontiac was an Ottawa.”

The young man was not interested in Pontiac.

“A chief would know a great many dialects,” he replied.  “Chippewa was the tongue of this island.  But what I wanted to say is that I have had a serious talk with the agent.  He is entirely willing to have me settle down.  And he says, what is the truth, that you are the best and prettiest girl at the straits.  I have spoken my mind often enough.  Why shouldn’t we get married right away?”

Jenieve set her bowl and spoon inside the house, and folded her arms.

“Monsieur, have I not told you many times?  I cannot marry.  I have a family already.”

The young agent struck his cap impatiently against the bark weather-boarding.  “You are the most offish girl I ever saw.  A man cannot get near enough to you to talk reason.”

“It would be better if you did not come down here at all, Monsieur Crooks,” said Jenieve.  “The neighbors will be saying I am setting a bad example to my mother.”