The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1895-08-09


the matter as though he were wild
youth who would yet mend his ways.
He read over their infrequent letters to
him; his to them had been still more
infrequent. In one there was the state
ment that ''she was progressing favor
ably with her English" in another
that "she was riding a good DEAL"
again that 'she appeared anxious to
adapt herself to her new life.
At all these he whistled little to
himself and smiled bitterly. Then, all
at once, he got up and straightway
burned them all. He again tried to put
the matter behind him for the present,
knowing that he must face it one day,
and staving off its reality as long as
possible. He did his utmost to be philo.
sophical and say his quid refert, but it
was easier tried than done, for Jacques
Pontiac's words kept ranking in his
mind, and he found myself carrying
round vague load which made him
distracted occasionally and often lit
tie reckless in action and speech. In
hunting bear and moose he had proved
himself more daring than the Oldest
hunter and proportionately successful.
He paid his servants well, but was
sharp with them. He made long, hard
expeditions, defying the weather as the
hardest of prairie and mountain men
mostly hesitate to defy it, He bought
up much land, then, dissatisfied, sold
it again at loss, but subsequently
made final arrangements for establish
ing very large farm.
When he once became actually inter
ested in this, he shook off something of
his moodiness and settled himself to de-
velop the thing. He had good talent for
initiative and administration and at
last, in the time when his wife was q
feature of the London season, he found
his scheme in working order, and the
necessity of going to England was forced
upon him.
Actually he wished that the absolute
necessity had presented itself before.
There was always the moral necessity,
of course-but then! Here now was
business need, and he must 60 Yet he
did not fix day or make definite ar
TulSGIlOllOS. LIZ SOulNt iloNO pC-
lieved himself such coward. With
liberal emphasis he called himself a
sneak, and one day at Fort Charles sat
down to write to his solicitor in Mont
real to say that he would come on at
once. Still he hesitated. AS he sat there
thinking Eye-of the Moon, his father
in-law, opened the door quietly and en-
IL oyoitlal hn chief or
since he had come back to Fort Charles
and practically had not spoken to him
for q year. Armour flushed slightly
with annoyance. But presently, with a
touch of his old humor, he rose, held
out his hand and said ironically: well,
father-in-law, it's about time we had a
big talk, isn't it? We are not very in
innate for such close relatives. -
The old Indian did not fully under
stand the meaning or the tone of Ar
mour's speech, but he said, "HowW
and reaching out his hand for the pipe
offered him lighted it and sat down,
smoking in silence. Armour waited;
but, seeing that the other was not yet
moved to talk, he turned to his letter
again. After time Eye-of- the Moon
said gravely, getting to his feet,
"Brother!"
Armour looked up; then rose also.
The Indian bowed to him courteously;
then sat down again. Armour threw a
leg oyer the corner of the table and
waited
Brother" said the Indian present
ly, go! IRE Of the great race that con-
quers u9. You come and take our land
and Z III game, and we have to beg Of
you for iood and shelter. Then you take
our daughters, and we know not where
they so They are gone, like the down
from the thistle. We see them not, but
you remain. And men say evil things.
There are bad words abroad. Brother,
what have you done with my daugh-
ter?''
Had the Indian come and stormed,
begged money Of him, sponged on him
or abused him he had taken it very
calmly. He, i'll fact, had been superior.
But there was dignity in the chiefs
manner; there was soleEnity in his
speech; his voice conveyed resolutercss
and earncstness, which the stole calm
of his face might not have suggested,
and Armour felt that he had 10 advan
tage at all. DeciGe, Armour had con-
science, though ho had played some rare
tricks with 1t u la;e. and it needed
moro hardihood THAN he possessed 20
face this old man down. And why face
him down? Lali was his daughter,
blood of his blood, tho chieftaiEess CT
one branch of his people, honored at
least among these poor savages, and the
old man Ind q right TO ask, as asked
another more famous, where is my
daughter"
His hands il his pockets Armour sat
silent for a minute, eyilig his boot as he
swung his leg to and fro. Presently he
said: "Eye-of Moon, ! don't think
can talk us POLITICALLY as you, even in
my own language, and l shall not try,
but l should like to ask you this, Do
you believe any harm has come to your
daughter-to my wife?"
The old Indian forgot to blow the to-
bacco smoke from his mouth, and as he
sat debating, lips slightly apart, it came